Sunday, August 1, 2010

On the west coast of Florida, a small group of Catholic women priests is saying mass in defiance of the Vatican

Damon Higgins/The Palm Beach Post
Just before administering communion to a small group of Catholics in Estero , Dena O’Callaghan, an unofficial Catholic priest from Ocala kisses her husband John, who is a Catholic priest suspended from official ministry.

By Lona O'Connor Palm Beach Post Staff Writer
  

"Shame on the Vatican," said Bridget Mary Meehan, a woman bishop considered a rogue by the institutional church. "They must truly be desperate. What's next, the Inquisition?"

Dena O'Callaghan, 73, ordained two years ago, remains upbeat in the face of every new Vatican pronouncement. She is certain that the church will eventually change its position on women priests.
"Gosh, if I didn't believe that, I'd have no vision," said O'Callaghan...

This occurred during the aftermath of the groundbreaking Second Vatican Council, when anything seemed possible within the Catholic Church. English replaced Latin in the Mass and priests turned to face their congregations...

"It all started with Vatican II and all these wonderful things we were going to do," said Ellen McNally, president of the southwest Florida chapter of Call to Action, an umbrella group that supports women priests and social justice issues. "People really wanted to go home and make it happen..."

8 comments:

belinda said...

Holiness can never come from rebellion. Why can't they see this?

Isn't self deception an amazing thing to observe?

Vincenzo said...

"Isn't self deception an amazing thing to observe?"

Belinda, it would be fun to get you a plane ticket, send you on a Florida vacation so you can perform some priestess a$$ whoopings - that would be a site to behold too. I'm suddenly thinking of a Photoshop.. better not.

Vincenzo said...

10..9...8... until the "oriental porn spammer" shows up in the combox.

Michael said...

I'd pay to see that photo-shopped.. just don't ask me right now.. broke as the 10 commandments! =)

Cathy_of_Alex said...

Is the "kiss of peace" the replacement for hand-holding in these uh liturgies?

Rachel said...

"I could do everything a priest would do but say Mass," she recalled. "If John was away, I could have a service. They called it Dena's Mass."

That's part of the problem right there-- the notion that if we have women doing everything possible in the sanctuary, they'll be satisfied not to be priests. The opposite is the case.

belinda said...

Vince,
For that photoshop job you weren't going to actually make me the ass now were you? That isn't a new idea as I've been there and done that on my own many times before ;)
***
If I met these women in person I wouldn't be able to restrain myself.

belinda said...

Once the porn slammer posted a porn comment on my anti-porn post.

Morons

I don't get those people. There are hundreds of things to do to fill a day and even if a person liked porn there's only so much anyone could take. I like ice cream but I can only eat so much then I have to fill my day with OTHER activities.

They're like creepy frat boys, stuck in puberty but a woman who willingly allows herself to be photographed ..... I'll stop now.