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Attempted excommunication

1/14/2015

 
The Roman Church ALWAYS snidely and dismissively refers to the Ordination of Women as “ATTEMPTED ORDINATIONS”.

Robert Finn, the Roman bishop in Kansas City ATTEMPTED TO EXCOMMUNICATE newly ordained Priest Georgia Walker. As long as the Roman Church remains a self-perpetuating ALL MALE club, we reject the notion that Robert Finn has any authority to excommunicate Georgia Walker. In fact, due to shameful dereliction of pastoral duties, we hereby excommunicate Robert Finn. Please note, both excommunications are equally invalid. 

There are now written responses from both Georgia Walker and ARCWP 

Mormon and gay?

1/14/2015

 
Utah State University Study reveals the many disastrous consequences of Mormon Church ant-gay policies.  

Speaking While Female

1/13/2015

 
This is an important article from the New York Times:
Speaking While Female - Sheryl Sandberg and Adam Grant on Why Women Stay Quiet at Work
When a woman speaks in a professional setting, she walks a tightrope. Either she’s barely heard or she’s judged as too aggressive. When a man says virtually the same thing, heads nod in appreciation for his fine idea. As a result, women often decide that saying less is more.

…This speaking-up double bind harms organizations by depriving them of valuable ideas.  continue to full article
It's 2015 and we still must struggle for Women's voices to be heard.  Certainly, ALL of humanity is diminished when women are marginalized.

Men Rule in Republican-Led House

1/13/2015

 
From  Bloomberg Businessweek: Men Rule Republican-Led House as Lone Woman Gets Committee Gavel
Candice Miller has a special status in the new Republican-run U.S. House: She’s the only female lawmaker in the party to head a congressional committee…

Even as Republicans seek to attract more female voters and fend off attacks from Democrats on women’s issues, the lack of women heading the House’s 22 committees shows the party has a long way to go to catch up to the minority party
Twenty Two House Committees and only one is led by a woman.  Let that sink in.

All The Little Things

1/11/2015

 
All The Little Things | Panti | TEDxDublin

Published on Jan 8, 2015
This talk was given at a local TEDx event, produced independently of the TED Conferences. Ireland's foremost "gender discombobulist", Panti, shares her experience of the little, everyday things that can have a huge impact on the wellbeing of gay people. Panti expresses her thoughts on navigating a world in which the simple act of holding hands can be a political statement in itself. 

Panti is Ireland's foremost "gender discombobulist" and "accidental activist”. She was also presented with an Irish 'People of the Year' award in 2014. Panti's creator Rory O'Neill sparked a national furore when he appeared on national television and named certain individuals and organisations as homophobic. When Panti took to the stage of the National Theatre to defend herself, her ten minute oration became an international sensation.

Video On YouTube
Wikipedia: Rory O'Neill, also known by his stage name as Panti, is a drag queen and gay rights activist from Ballinrobe, County Mayo, Ireland

Muslims Condemn Attack

1/8/2015

 
In Huffington Post: Muslims Around The World Condemn Charlie Hebdo Attack
Muslims in France and around the world banded together on Wednesday to strongly condemn the deadliest terror attack the country has seen in the past two decades. continue

Liberté, Égalité, Fraternité

1/7/2015

 


We stand in solidarity with all who 
support freedom of speech.
We promote religious tolerance  
and oppose religious extremism.

Nous Sommes Tous Charlie
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Jubilant ‘I Dos’

1/7/2015

 
New York Times coverage of marriage equality in Florida including some great pictures: Same-Sex Pairs in Florida Say Jubilant ‘I Dos’

Iconic Lights Go Out Across Germany

1/6/2015

 
Following up on our previous post regarding German institutions taking a stand against anti-Islamic extremism, we have this report from Huffington Post...
Refusing to become backdrops for hate, famous landmarks across Germany went dark on Monday in protest of a growing anti-Muslim movement.

The Cologne Cathedral, Berlin’s Brandenberg Gate, and the city's TV tower were among the iconic structures that plunged into darkness after word spread that the anti-immigrant group “Patriotic Europeans against the Islamization of the West” (PEGIDA) was planning to march. continue

Kansas City's first woman priest

1/6/2015

 
NCR reporting on the ordination of Georgia Walker: Kansas City's first woman priest: 'I'm sort of humbled by the role that I'm playing'
KANSAS CITY, MO. Three days before her ordination as Kansas City's first woman priest, Georgia Walker sat in the storefront office of Journey to New Life, the organization she co-founded in 2013 to help people in the city re-enter civilian life after incarceration.

Looking out on Troost Avenue, a street long considered the line in Kansas City's racial divide, Walker pondered the line she was about to cross. Having previously been arrested and tried in federal court for protesting nuclear weapons, Walker is no stranger to controversy. Yet, she said she was somewhat surprised by the celebrity incurred by her decision to be ordained by the Association of Roman Catholic Women Priests.  continue

Wow, Cardinal unable to shut up.

1/6/2015

 
Cardinal Raymond Leo Burke on the Catholic “Man-crisis” and what to do about it:

I think there has been a great confusion with regard to the specific vocation of men in marriage and of men in general in the Church during the past 50 years or so. It’s due to a number of factors, but the radical feminism which has assaulted the Church and society since the 1960s has left men very marginalized.

Unfortunately, the radical feminist movement strongly influenced the Church, leading the Church to constantly address women’s issues at the expense of addressing critical issues important to men...
Unbelievable. Women now dominate the Church so completely that men now feel they are marginalized and excluded!  Who knew?  

Burke only gets worse from there. We warn you not to read the interview unless you have already taken your blood pressure medication.  You will be outraged that such a man could ever have been elevated to the highest levels of power within the vatican.

We think that BOTH men and women have a serious problem with a church that treats women as second class Christians. Burke has his head stuck in the sand -- and that's the politest way we can express that particular sentiment.
Cardinal Raymond Leo Burke - you’ll remember him as being the high Vatican Official recently demoted to relative obscurity by Pope Francis - does not have the good sense to fade quietly into the woodwork. Raymond Leo has a published interview posted on this web-site - The new emangelization: Drawing Men to Jesus Christ and His Catholic Church

Congratulations Florida

1/5/2015

 
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Same-sex marriages begin in Miami-Dade County. Marriage equality will be the law in all Florida counties beginning at midnight. Fully seventy-one percent of the US population now live in one of the 36 US States with marriage equality.  We encourage the US Supreme Court to bring an end to this process by ruling that the Equal Protection Clause in the 14th Amendment to the US Constitution requires marriage equality in ALL STATES.

Ordination of Georgia Walker - photo gallery

1/5/2015

 
The Kansas City Star has some pictures from the Ordination of Georgia Walker to the Priesthood which took place this past Saturday: Photo gallery: Woman claims role as Kansas City’s first female Catholic priest

New Cardinals don't "Reflect Diversity"

1/4/2015

 
From NCR: Pope Picks 15 New Cardinals To Reflect Diversity
VATICAN CITY (AP) — Pope Francis named 15 new cardinals Sunday, selecting them from 14 nations, including far-flung corners of the world such as Tonga, New Zealand, Cape Verde and Myanmar, to reflect the diversity of the church and its growth in places like Asia and Africa… continue
Well, we’ll point out the obvious…  The new Cardinals certainly come from diverse geographical locations. However, we reject the notion that these Cardinals “reflect diversity”. They are 15 MALES.  As long as the Roman Church only names male Cardinals they DO NOT “reflect diversity” - nor are they representative of the Church as a whole.  We demand the Ordination of Women and the selection of women as Bishops, Cardinals and eventually Popes.  This is a simple matter of justice and we have waited a long time.  We hope the new Cardinals are good people who will advance the church towards the necessary changes.

No scriptural reason for excluding women

1/2/2015

 
Great Waters Bishop Joan Houk (RCWP) writing in the Pitsburgh Post-Gazette: The Catholic Church needs female priests
There are 24 women in my region who have either been ordained or are in preparation for ordination. These women have been theologically educated, are emotionally stable, spiritual, prayerful and, most importantly, joyful Catholics. continue reading
UPDATE:  We contacted Joan and she was happy to give us permission to re-publish the full text of her letter here on our web-site.  Joan also shared this observation regarding the response to her letter:
It seems to have created a lot of conversation in the comment section of the online paper.  We keep calling for the ordination of Catholic women.  The Spirit will  move the Church leaders to listen seriously to us one of these days.

New cardinals, will there be lasting change?

1/2/2015

 
From NCR: When appointing new cardinals, will Francis follow tradition or continue to surprise?
The creation of new cardinals in February may well determine whether the papacy of Pope Francis is a flash in the pan or a turning point in the history of the church
The NCR article contains an interesting discussion of the "unwritten rules" that Popes often follow when naming new cardinals.  Will Francis follow them or break with tradition in order to secure a legacy of positive change?

Germany's Cologne Cathedral To Turn Off Lights

1/2/2015

 
We are glad to see the Cathedral take a position on this: Germany's Cologne Cathedral To Turn Off Lights In Protest At Anti-Muslim March.
BERLIN, Jan 2 (Reuters) - One of Germany's most famous landmarks, Cologne Cathedral, will be plunged into darkness on Monday evening in protest at a march by a growing grass-roots anti-Muslim movement through the western German city, cathedral authorities said.
Germany’s government has also taken notice:
The rise of the group, Patriotic Europeans Against the Islamisation of the West (PEGIDA), has shaken Germany's political establishment, prompting Chancellor Angela Merkel to say in her New Year address that its leaders were racists full of hatred and citizens should beware being used.
Anti-muslim racism/bigotry has NO PLACE IN CIVIL SOCIETY.  Good people everywhere must speak out against these dangerous forces and support our Muslim Sisters and Brothers.

Happy New Year 2015

1/1/2015

 
On behalf of The Community of St. Bridget, our community priests Mary and Ann, our directors and staff, we wish all of our readers a 2015 filled with love and peace.  We extend blessings to all who give of their time in service to others and who advocate for economic, social, racial and religious justice.  We thank all of the Women Priests and Bishops who may read this. You are our inspiration. 
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