Monday, August 24, 2009

(Excommunicated) Priest takes church to task for not ordaining women

Won’t recant despite excommunication

The Rev. Roy Bourgeois spoke at a Congregational church yesterday.
The Rev. Roy Bourgeois spoke at a Congregational church yesterday. (Maisie Crow for The Boston Globe)

By Michael Paulson Globe Staff / August 24, 2009

WESTON - A prominent priest whose support for women’s ordination has him in trouble with the Catholic Church ratcheted up his confrontation with the hierarchy yesterday, calling the church’s refusal to ordain women a “scandal’’ and “spiritual violence...’’

The Catholic Church views Marchant and Bourgeois as having been automatically excommunicated for participating in unsanctioned ordination ceremonies...

The Archdiocese of Boston yesterday declined to comment on the event in Weston, referring instead to a statement it issued last year saying, “The ordination of men to the priesthood is not merely a matter of practice or discipline within the Catholic Church, but rather, it is part of the unalterable Deposit of Faith handed down by Christ through his apostles...’’

In 1994, Pope John Paul II declared that “the Church has no authority whatsoever to confer priestly ordination on women,’’ citing both tradition and the fact that Jesus’ apostles were male...

Church officials say women play other valuable roles in the church, and the answer to the priest shortage is a combination of prayer and efforts to help young men recognize and accept callings to the priesthood...


2 comments:

Gina said...

This is such a non-issue. If this man really understood his vocation, he would realize that an all male priesthood truly sanctifies women, freeing them from the role of ultimate servant here on Earth.

Clearly anyone who calls for women's ordinations don't understand this, or wish to misuse the priesthood to achieve earthly power.

SHAME SHAME SHAME.

Anonymous said...

We follow the church of the Apostles--not the church of this wayward priest.