Toledo Woman to be Ordained Roman Catholic Woman Priest

On Saturday, June 10, 2017 at 1 p.m., the Association of Roman Catholic Women Priests (ARCWP) will ordain Sydney Joan Condray a priest and Karen Kerrigan a deacon. Michele Birch-Conery of Windsor, Canada will be the presiding bishop. The ceremony will take place at Sylvania United Church of Christ, 7240 Erie Street, Sylvania, Ohio 43560. All are welcome.
 
Sydney, 78, the mother of three, worked for many years in Toledo as a therapist to developmentally disabled children and adults. She said her journey to priesthood included growing up as a child without religious affiliation, but as a young adult she went to church and “found there was something there, a Mystery. It’s been a lifelong journey to discover who this gracious mystery was and what God wanted of me.” For many years when the parish priest was not available for weekday Mass, she and six other people would fill in. She started writing prayers to use during this worship service that were well received.  A mystical experience convinced her that priesthood was what God wanted of her.
 
Karen Kerrigan from Westland, Michigan who will be ordained a deacon is a retired special education teacher and an activist with particular concerns for water, environmental and gender justice.
 
The Catholic Church teaches that individuals must always follow their consciences and “an unjust law cannot be obeyed.” In prophetic obedience women priests are breaking Canon law forbidding ordination to bring equality to the church, so too, we call on our bishops to embrace sanctuary in order to propel immigration reform and legal status.