Twelve Women 'Ordained' as Catholic Priests (ritual, gospel, tradition, churches)

[Tigress]

Twelve Women 'Ordained' as Catholic Priests

By Ann Rodgers, Religion News Service
Courtesy of Beliefnet

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PITTSBURGH, August 1 -- Vested in white albs, and ultimately donning brilliantly colored silk stoles, 12 women were ordained Monday (July 31) as deacons and priests aboard a riverboat here by a group that claims they are valid Roman Catholic ordinations.

After the ritual, the eight who had been proclaimed priests by the group Roman Catholic Womenpriests danced and sang "We Are Chosen," holding hands with their female bishops. More than 350 guests cheered and applauded.

The Diocese of Pittsburgh, however, has declared that none of the ordinations is legitimate, and warned that those involved have excommunicated themselves.

"This is both a political and a sacramental action," said Patricia Fresen, one of three co-consecrators. She says she was ordained a bishop in secret by an active Roman Catholic bishop in Europe. Continue...

[Victor]

The Diocese of Pittsburgh, however, has declared that none of the ordinations is legitimate...

That pretty much tells me all I need to know.

[gnostic]

I don't know what's all the fuss about.

No where does it say in the gospels that only men are allow to do ministry.

Why do people fuss over about women priests or bishops?

Most of them would probably say traditions or customs, but no one said traditions or customs were laws anyway.

[Booko]

Originally Posted by gnostic

I don't know what's all the fuss about.

No where does it say in the gospels that only men are allow to do ministry.

Why do people fuss over about women priests or bishops?

Most of them would probably say traditions or customs, but no one said traditions or customs were laws anyway.

I don't have any dog in this fight, as my religion has no clergy and one of its principles is the equality of men and women.

That said, I really don't see the point of belonging to a religious organization, knowing its laws and how it works, and deciding to just make up your own.

If you really can't live with the rules -- why remain?

I'm with Victor on this one.

[MaddLlama]

It sounds like a good cause for within the Church, but I do have to question thier method and motive - it just seems like the beginning of a "Goddess-Spirituality" break off like the episcopalian's had a few years ago. Not that I don't think the church would do well to be a little bit more sensitive to the feminine, but I think this may not be the best way to get your message out.

[Booko]

Originally Posted by MaddLlama

It sounds like a good cause for within the Church, but I do have to question thier method and motive - it just seems like the beginning of a "Goddess-Spirituality" break off like the episcopalian's had a few years ago. Not that I don't think the church would do well to be a little bit more sensitive to the feminine, but I think this may not be the best way to get your message out.

I would imagine it might be divisive as well, just as the Episcopalian's were divided over the issue. The thing is, I think the Episcopalians would've gotten to women priests anyway in time, just through persuasion, prayer and study anyway. Sure I understand the impatience, but it only served to divide people.

Here no doubt I show my bias, having been raised in a Protestant denomination where churches splilt up everytime the Consistory got a fart crosswise , but one of the things I've always admired about the RCC and the Orthodox was their ability to have a diversity of opinion and, in time, get to a consensus and *stay together*.

[!Fluffy!]

12 women were ordained Monday (July 31) as deacons and priests aboard a riverboat here by a group that claims they are valid Roman Catholic ordinations.

I wonder what the heck they base their claims on.

I agree with ML, not the best way to get their message out.

[lunamoth]

Originally Posted by MaddLlama

It sounds like a good cause for within the Church, but I do have to question thier method and motive - it just seems like the beginning of a "Goddess-Spirituality" break off like the episcopalian's had a few years ago. Not that I don't think the church would do well to be a little bit more sensitive to the feminine, but I think this may not be the best way to get your message out.

What in the world are you talking about MaddLlama?

"The long struggle for women's ordination as priests in the American Episcopal Church began in the mid-1850s and lasted for almost 125 years. It ended in Minneapolis, Minnesota, on September 16, 1976, when the General Convention of the Episcopal Church voted to approve women's ordination to the priesthood and the episcopate." 1 1. "Ordination of Women in the Episcopal Church," Minnesota Historical Society, at: http://www.mnhs.org/

History of female ordination in the ECUSA:
1855: The Bishop of Maryland "sets apart" two deaconesses.

1935: A commission of the Church of England found no reason for or against the ordination of women, but affirms that women would continue to be excluded "for the church today."
1970: The General Convention voted on a measure to authorize female ordination. It was approved by the laity but narrowly defeated by clerical deputies.
1973: The General Convention rejected female ordination for the second time.
1973: Qualified women deacons were presented alongside men for ordination to the priesthood in New York. The bishop refused to ordain the women.
1974-JUL-29: The "Philadelphia Eleven" were "irregularly" ordained as priests in Philadelphia, PA by two retired and one resigned bishop. "The event caused great consternation among the church hierarchy. On August 15, the House of Bishops, called to an emergency meeting, denounced the ordinations and declared them invalid. Charges were filed against the dissident bishops. Attempts were made to prevent the women from serving their priestly ministries."
1974-OCT-27:Revs. Allison Cheek, Carter Heyward, and Jeannette Piccard celebrated their first public Episcopal service at Riverside Church in New York, NY.
1974-NOV: The Rev William Wendt invited Alison Cheek to celebrate at St Stephen's and the Incarnation in Washington, DC. He is later charged, tried and disciplined for violating canons.
1974-DEC: Rev Peter Beebe invited Alison Cheek and Carter Heyward to celebrate at Christ Church, Oberlin, OH. He is charged and tried for violating canons.
1976-JUL: After much heated debate, the 72nd General Convention in Philadelphia passed a resolution declaring that "no one shall be denied access" to ordination into the three orders of ministry: as deacons, priests or bishops, on the basis of their sex. A second resolution declared that no one could be barred from participating in the life and governance of the church, either because of their gender, or because of their theological beliefs concerning the ordination of women. They asked that non-conforming dioceses report in 1979 on their progress towards female ordination to the House of Bishops and Executive Council. They were asked to also report to the next General Convention in 2000. If they don't, they faced the possibility of a church trial. One of the four bishops, the Rt. Rev. Jack Iker of Fort Worth, said that he planned to undertake "active resistance to the directive...I cannot compromise my conscience because I have serious theological reservations." He decided to continue to refuse to ordain women, referring them to another diocese instead.
1977: The priests who were irregularly ordained at Philadelphia and Washington were "regularized." One hundred women are ordained by year end.
1978: The Lambeth Conference accepted female ordination as an option at the discretion of the local province.
1988-SEP-24: The Rev. Barbara C. Harris was elected Suffragan Bishop of Massachusetts. She was consecrated on 1990-FEB-11.
1997: Only four dioceses still refused to ordain female priests: Eau Claire (WI), Fort Worth (TX), Quincy (IL), and San Joaquin (CA).
...

2006-JUN: The Right Reverend Katharine Jefferts Schori, Bishop of the Diocese of Nevada, was elected the 26th Presiding Bishop-elect of the Episcopal Church, USA on June 18. This places her at the highest level of power in the Anglican Communion: status as Primate of an Anglican province. Her election was confirmed by the House of Deputies, as required by church canons. She will serve a term of nine years that are almost guaranteed to be among the most tumultuous in the history of the denomination, rivaling the conflicts over human slavery, contraception, female ordination to the priesthood, and female consecration as bishop.

from: http://www.religioustolerance.org/femclrg14.htm

[lunamoth]

Originally Posted by TwinTowers

I wonder what the heck they base their claims on.

I agree with ML, not the best way to get their message out.

Maybe they should try this?

1 In the year that the supreme commander, sent by Sargon king of Assyria, came to Ashdod and attacked and captured it- 2 at that time the LORD spoke through Isaiah son of Amoz. He said to him, "Take off the sackcloth from your body and the sandals from your feet." And he did so, going around stripped and barefoot. (Isaiah 20)