U.S. to Nuns to Vatican: We support Fr. Roy Bourgeois--and women's ordination
Tuesday December 16, 2008
Whether Maryknoll priest Fr. Roy Bourgeois has been excommunicated or not remains a mystery. As I wrote here, the Vatican told him to recant for supporting women's ordination--and attending one last July--and at last word he had gone to Rome...
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David Gibson is an award-winning religion writer who specializes in writing about the Catholic Church, which he joined as a convert at the age of 30. He is the author The Rule of Benedict: Pope Benedict XVI and His Battle with the Modern World. He also wrote The Coming Catholic Church: How the Faithful are Shaping a New American Catholicism. He has written about Catholicism for leading newspapers and magazines, including the New York Times, Newsweek, The Wall Street Journal, New York magazine, Boston magazine, Fortune, Commonweal, and America. Gibson worked in Rome for Vatican Radio for several years and traveled frequently with Pope John Paul II. He later covered religion for The Star-Ledger of New Jersey. He has co-written several recent documentaries on Christianity for CNN. For further information check out his website at dgibson.com.Search This Blog
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I personally completely endorse the comments of these sisters. I only wonder why they have waited so long.
Mary Wood Former Poor Clare, now a "Consecrated Virgin" cf canon 604
What people keep forgetting is the reason why women have never been ordained:
Ordination is the sacrament of Holy Orders. A sacrament's structure and constitution has been set by Jesus himself (so we Catholics believe) and that's especially obvious with Holy Orders -- Jesus ordained 12 apostles, all men.
Why not any women? There were plenty of good ones available, including the Blessed Virgin herself. But not one of them was included in the first group of priests, the apostles.
Why, we don't know, but that's how Jesus did it, and the Church believes that we're not at liberty to go tinkering with the constitution of the Holy Sacraments. If someday the Pope wants to lift the ban of clergy marrying, he can do that -- St. Peter was married after all.
But not even the Pope himself can ordain a woman. Not according to our faith, our doctrine, or Sacred Tradition. If we wanted to run things by popular vote, well, we'd be Protestants.
It would be entirely appropriate for Cardinal Levada and the Holy Office to consider excommunicating these "nuns" for their public and obstinate dissent from the infallible teachings of the Holy Catholic Church. They are espousing heresy and undermining the work and mission of Holy Mother Church. It is absolutely disingenuous for these women to masquerade around as Catholic nuns when, obviously, they're nothing more than new-age liberal Protestants with pins on (I'm certain none of them wear habits). There are plenty of cushy, imploding mainline Protestant churches (Episcopal Church, ELCA, etc...) that would be more than willing to "ordain" them. They have no place in the Catholic Church unless they become willing to submit themselves to the authority of the Supreme Pontiff of the Universal Church and her divinely-instituted magisterium.
I feel if these nuns are so unhappy with the sacreament of priesthood in the Church(holy Orders) they need to go elsewhere where women are pastors,homosexuals perform marriges ,etc.
Come on sisters,what did you learn in the convent?
Either these Nuns are clueless about Church Doctrine or they simply don't care... When they took their vows to their respective orders, I am certain they took vows of obedience. Given this, I cannot understand why their respective orders allow them to mock Church Doctrine. Like was said in another post, if they don't like the Church teaching, then leave! They need to realize the Church is not supposed to conform to their way of thinking, they are supposed to conform to the Church's way of thinking. One more thing.... Nuns lose a lot of respect when they no longer wear their traditional habit. For the life of me, I cannot understand why they want to blend in with everybody else. They should be proud to be Nuns and act/dress accordingly!
I see the usual suspects; Chittister and Gramick, are joined by many other disobedient and confused souls masquerading as nuns and sisters. It would behoove them all to read the following and engage in a long period of contemplative reflection to discern if they really understood what a call to the consecrated life entails.
ORDINATIO SACERDOTALIS
http://www.vatican.va/holy_father/john_paul_ii/apost_letters/documents/hf_jp-ii_apl_22051994_ordinatio-sacerdotalis_en.html
I agree with these Sisters, Fr Roy and the vast majority of American Catholics that women can be ordained to the Priesthood, married men also! Since no one has found any even half-way convincing argument against this, I conclude that there is none; surely, somone would have found it by now!
With all due respect we already have a church where "women are pastors,homosexuals perform marriges" they are called "Parish Administrators" and "closeted". Our unmarried Priesthood certainly did a number on the youth of the church didn't they?
In the Diocese of Salt Lake City there are parishes that have a priest only one Sunday a month, oh they get Communion but it's not the same is it. Ministry to God's people is a lot more that having the right reproductive organs or the right uniform. You might not like it but the ELCA (Lutheran) and ECA (Episcopalian) have a valid Priesthood just as the Orthodox churches do.
If there is no salvation outside of the church then the church should be careful to provide shepherds. Oh and as for what the Sisters learned in their convents.....Speaking truth to power is a good start!
"they are supposed to conform to the Church's way of thinking"
So then how is the church supposed to examine itself and change? If people in the church aren't holding the church accountable, then the church can use its authority to run over anyone it chooses to....
Sometime I wonder where we would be without the courage and generosity of Nuns who are willing to continue to serve a Church they love dearly and have dedicated their lives to, in spite of the avid attempts of the hierarchy to judge harshly everyone who stands for justice, equality and peace while turning a blind eye to a climate of sexual abuse of epic proportions. Jesus, our Leader, broke so many rules of the old testament to come to the aid of women and children and ended up being handed over to be killed by the hierarchy of his day. Tell me who is more like Him, the finger wavers or the brave ones who stand for the dispossessed? He told us live eternally by following the law written in our hearts and not the letter of the law, which kills. THANK YOU JESUS AND NUNS!
By Barb on December 18, 2008
"The medieval punishment of excommunication serves only to embarrass our Church in the eyes of the world and fuels further anger and resentment among the U.S. faithful."
Sister Liberation and Father Feelgood wanting to look good "in the eyes of the world" is what got the Church in the mess it's in now. I suggest their clown Masses and liturgical dancers prancing around the alter embarrass the Church far more than a celibate male priesthood.
Amazing. Pedophile protecting prelates are given basilicas in Rome or positions of leadership in the Church--(Hello Cardinals Law and George!) Pedophile priests are defended, fought for and taken care of for life by our bishops.
But priests who stand up for fairness and justice are castigated, forced out or excommunicated. How perverse.
These nuns are speaking the truth and they have more moral authority than all of the American Catholic hierarchy combined.
These women have educated our children, nursed our sick, fed and clothed our poor, comforted our afflicted. And, they stand up against injustice -- even if that injustice has come from the leadership of their Church.
Thank you, Sisters, our bishops could learn much from you.
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