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Catholic Workers support Women’s Ordination & Open Communion

8/31/2015

 
Press Release: August 2015 
Statement by the Des Moines Catholic Worker in Support of Women’s Ordination and Open Communion
For several years, the celebration of Catholic Mass at the Des Moines Catholic Worker has been a point of controversy with Bishop Pates and others representing the hierarchy of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Des Moines.

Most recently, in May of this year, Bishop Pates wrote us a letter stating that the “privilege” of having Mass at the Des Moines Catholic Worker has been “revoked.” The reason for this is that, in December 2014, Reverend Janice Sevre-Duszynska, who is a woman priest, celebrated a Roman Catholic Mass at the Des Moines Catholic Worker. It is the official position of the Roman Catholic Church that women may not be priests.

In 2010, Bishop Pates also expressed concerns about the celebration of Mass at the Des Moines Catholic Worker, chief among these being that we invite everyone, including non-Catholics, to receive communion.

In response to the Bishop, we wish to let it be known that the Des Moines Catholic Worker affirms the equality of all people, regardless of gender, to be full members and disciples in any Church claiming to follow Jesus; in the Roman Catholic Church this includes the priesthood and other positions of leadership within the Church.

Likewise, we affirm that the Sacrament of Holy Communion should be open to all who wish to participate, regardless of religious and institutional affiliations. No one seeking reconciliation and love should be denied the Eucharist. We believe that Jesus would not have it otherwise.
We agree with the Des Moines Catholic Worker - Jesus would Ordain Women and welcome all to the Eucharistic Table.

Update on RCWP Priest Alexandra Dyer

8/31/2015

 
Alexandra is healing pretty well. Thanks to the quick action of the fire department, the hospital and of Alexandra herself, she has her eyesight and can speak. The doctors say that she may not need surgery. As Alexandra has said herself, she has seen miracles and she can feel the support and love coming from all of you.

If you haven't seen the Go Fund Me site that the RCWP eastern region set up to pay for some of her medical bills, here is the link.

Oregon Catholic School St. Mary’s Academy welcomes LGBT staff

8/28/2015

 
From Think Progress: Catholic School That Fired Lesbian Employee Reverses Course, Now Accepts Openly LGBT Workers by Jack Jenkins
In what may be a historic first, a Catholic school that ended a contract with a teacher for being openly gay has reversed course, challenging Church teaching by instituting hiring polices that welcome LGBT people. continue
A statement by from St. Mary’s Academy in Portland Oregon says: 
“St. Mary’s is a diverse community that welcomes and includes gay and lesbian students, faculty, alumnae, parents and friends, including those that are married.”
There has been no statement yet from Portland’s Bishop but his spokesman reminds us that “Canon law does say that the bishop does have oversight or jurisdiction” over St. Mary’s.

The RCC and it's Bishops are clinging to a stunted version of morality left over from a distant and more ignorant past.  It's time for the RCC Bishops to hear from and listen to the People of God who sit in their pews and overwhelmingly support justice and equality for LGBT people.
While the new policy is out of step with the position of the Catholic hierarchy, it is far more in line with the deeply progressive bent of American Catholicism: Over 60 percent of U.S. Catholics support marriage equality.
We call on the Bishop of Portland to re-affirm St. Mary's Academy's new employment policy.  In addition, we urge the Bishop to extend this LGBT inclusive and welcoming employment policy to the entire diocese and to all Catholic Institutions under his authority in Cannon Law.

Please join with us in praying for the recovery of Rev. Alexandra Dyer

8/27/2015

 
Please join with us in praying for the recovery of Rev. Alexandra Dyer, a Roman Catholic priest in New York City. Alexandra was attacked by an unknown assailant a week ago who threw an acid-like substance in her face. In the last day or so she was able to open her eyes somewhat and has vision. She faces a long and painful recovery. Thank you for praying for her and for all victims--and perpetrators--of violence.

Women's Equality Day

8/26/2015

 
On this day in 1920 the 19th Amendment to the US Constitution was certified granting women the right to vote throughout the United States. Each year the US President commemorates this event by proclaiming the day “Women’s Equality Day.”  

Ninety-five years later we are still working to obtain truly full equality for Women.  We look forward to the time when the dream embodied by the 19th Amendment will be fully realized. Today, we re-dedicate ourselves to that goal.

Please help RCWP Priest Alexandra Dyer

8/25/2015

 
Press release from: 
Roman Catholic Womenpriests (RCWP) Jennifer O’Malley Board President
Women's Ordination Confernece (WOC) Erin Saiz Hanna Co-Director
Roman Catholic Womenpriests (RCWP) and Women’s Ordination Conference (WOC) are deeply saddened by the violent attack that Alexandra Dyer, a Roman Catholic Womanpriest in New York City, experienced when leaving work on Wednesday evening.  As she was getting in her car, a man approached Alexandra and threw a caustic substance in her face resulting in severe burns.

At this point, we believe this horrific attack to be unrelated to her being a Roman Catholic Womanpriest. Nonetheless, our community has been shaken by this senseless, devastating act of violence.

Alexandra is currently hospitalized and will have a long and difficult recovery.  We ask for your prayers for Alexandra and all those who will be walking with her on her long road of recovery.

A friend has set up a Go Fund Me account for her to assist with any recovery costs. We know she will appreciate any gesture of support during this difficult time.

ARCWP statement regarding the attack on Woman Priest Alexandra Dyer

8/21/2015

 
ARCWP Press Release
Women Priests Urge Pope Francis to:
Embrace Women
Honor Primacy of Conscience
Condemn Violent Attack on Woman Priest in New York
 
From: The Association of Roman Catholic Women Priests (ARCWP)
 
The Association of Roman Catholic Women Priests offer our prayers and solidarity to our sister priests in Roman Catholic WomenPriests, another branch of our international women priest movement, after the attack Wednesday night in Queens, New York on Dr. Alexandra Dyer, an ordained RCWP.  We pray for her healing and that of her assailant.
 
If the attack was motivated as a hate crime to defend the Vatican’s prohibition of women’s ordination, we call on Pope Francis to make a statement condemning all violence against us as faithful Catholic women priests and to affirm our primacy of conscience in living out our prophetic obedience to Spirit. Moreover, we urge him to take action by lifting our excommunications and all punishments against our movement and supporters.

Read More

RCWP Priest Alexandra Dyer attacked

8/21/2015

 
From the New York Post - Woman priest burned in liquid attack was ‘ambushed’
The man who attacked and seriously burned a Queens woman Wednesday night — splashing her in the face with a Drano-like substance — snuck up and ambushed her as she walked alone to her car, law-enforcement sources said.

“Can I ask you something?” the assailant said, before hurling an off-brand drain cleaner in the face of Dr. Alexandra Dyer (RCWP), an ordained priest who has devoted her life to helping others.  continue reading
Please keep Alexandra in your prayers.

Young Catholics hope for change

8/20/2015

 
From Philly.com - Letters: Young Catholics hope for change by Christine Kilbride
"MASS HAS ended. Go in peace to love and serve the Lord." The response, "Thanks be to God," has been uttered with more relief than I care to admit the past few years. My faith has been shaken - by scandal, by political squabbles and by discrimination. The sacred trust that I established throughout all my sacraments - Holy Communion, confirmation, reconciliation - somehow seems tarnished. These struggles have been recurring in my mind as Pope Francis' visit to Philadelphia for the World Meeting of Families draws nearer.  continue
It's not only young people who yearn for change in the RCC.  Solid majorities of Roman Catholics in the United States support the changes which Christine outlines in this article.

ARCWP press release - we will ordain three women as Bishops

8/20/2015

 
ARCWP Press Release: Catholics Call for a Church 4 All Includes Women Priests: During Pope Francis’ Visit, ARCWP will ordain 3 women bishops

As Pope Francis arrives in the United States, members of the Association of Roman Catholic Women Priests will be near Philadelphia. On Sept. 24th at 2 PM at Pendle Hill, PA we will ordain 3 new women bishops from Latin America, Canada and the United States in order to meet our growing needs of women called to priesthood.

We serve inclusive Catholic communities where all are welcome to receive sacraments including gays, lesbians, and transgender as well as divorced and remarried Catholics.

One-third of all adults who were raised Catholics have left the church. One of the main reasons is disillusionment with the church on the treatment of women.

According to one survey, 70% of U.S. Catholics support women priests.

Read More

Theological education today

8/20/2015

 
From Huffington Post - 10 Things You Learn in Religion 101 by Victor Udoewa
These are concepts that you learn in Religion 101 that you somehow don't learn growing up in certain faith communities…

...…These 10 items highlight one of the toughest questions facing theological education today. How can we possibly tell students "The stories in your text are not unique. They borrow from other traditions. Your text is not 'inspired,' etc." and then say "Now go into the world, minister to people, and inspire them?" We've delved so deeply in the social science of religious studies, we have lost the inspirational part of theological education. How do we bring the two together?
This article is quite interesting and well worth the few minutes it will take to read.

Ohio Judges must honor Constitution - marry gay couples

8/11/2015

 
From Cleveland.com - Ohio judges cannot refuse to perform gay weddings based on personal views, state board advises By Robert Higgs, Northeast Ohio Media Group Columbus bureau chief 
COLUMBUS, Ohio -- Ohio judges who perform civil marriages may not refuse to conduct a ceremony for a gay couple, nor may they refuse to do all marriages based on personal beliefs opposing gay marriage, the Ohio Supreme Court's Board for Professional Conduct said...

..."The oath represents the judge's solemn and personal vow that he or she will impartially perform all duties incumbent on the office and do so without regard to the status or class of persons or parties who come before the court," the board opinion states. "The oath is a reflection of the self-evident principle that the personal, moral, and religious beliefs of a judicial officer should never factor into the performance of any judicial duty."  full article
We would agree that the principles behind this decision are "self-evident". Still, we are glad that this issue has been clarified in such a decisive manner.  

Their Oath of Office obligates judges in Ohio to uphold both the US Constitution and the Constitution of the State of Ohio. It does not say that individual judges can ignore those documents if they conflict with the Jude's personal, moral or religious viewpoints.

If any Judge feels that their religious opinions prevent them from performing their official duties, they have the option to resign and seek other employment.

We applaud this decision by the Ohio Supreme Court's Board for Professional Conduct.

Theresa Kane - radical equality is sacred responsibility

8/4/2015

 
From NCR - A legacy beyond Catholicism by Kate Stoltzfus
To hear Sr. Theresa Kane speak is to be struck with an urge to act.

When the Sister of Mercy welcomed Pope John Paul II in October 1979 as the spokeswoman for U.S. women religious, she chose those brief moments to ask for equality and ordination on behalf of Catholic women everywhere. Her words, though met with fierce negation by the pope and Vatican officials, were broadcast around the world.

There are few who dare to speak their truths aloud under such powerful opposition and public eye, but Kane didn't shy away from truth in 1979. She encouraged the end of oppression for women in the church, setting alight a spark of change. She continues to be a leading voice in the feminist religious movement decades later.  continue reading


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