The Dream of Sophia

I am part of a women's movement within the Roman Catholic Church to bring forth a new relationship of power-to ordain women as priests, bishops, cardinals or Pope. You might have heard/read about Rome's issuing a degree stating that anyone who helps women be ordained is excommunicated.

I have been part of this movement since I joined the board of Women's Ordination Conference http://www.womensordination.org/ in 1999. (Before the board I was a member for many years, except I lived in SW VA and was the only woman on the roles.) I left the month Jason was injured in the Iraq war, October 2005. During that time 7 women took the audacious step to be ordained on the Danube. Mary Rammerman was ordained in Rochester; a "seminary" was set up in Austria, all done by email and visits. Bishop Patricia Friesan comes to the United States frequently during the year to ordain women here. This year an American RCC woman bishop has been ordained. (http://www.post-gazette.com/pg/06212/709922-85.stm for Pat Friesan)

These efforts to reform the RCC around its misogynist, discriminatory, power over, anti-Christian way of being have met with ever more resistance.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: May 30, 2008 Media Contact: Erin Saiz Hanna, 703 352-1006, woc@womensordination.org Women's Ordination Conference Statement on Vatican Decree of Immediate Excommunication of Ordained Women Aisha Taylor, executive director of the Women's Ordination Conference, issued the following statement about the Vatican's decree that ordained Roman Catholic women and the bishops who ordained them incur latae sententiae excommunication, which means excommunication that is immediate and self-imposed. The Women's Ordination Conference is outraged by yesterday's Vatican decree, which reminds Catholic women once again of the animosity they face from the hierarchy, despite being the backbone of most Catholic parishes throughout the world. Out of fear of the growing numbers of ordained women and the overwhelming support they are receiving, the Vatican is trying to preserve what little power they have left by attempting to extinguish the widespread call for women'sequality in the church. It will not work. In the face of one closed door after another, Catholic women will continue to make a way when there is none. We reject the notion of excommunication. In our efforts to ordain women into an inclusive and accountable Roman Catholic Church, we see it as contrary to the gospel itself to excommunicate people who are doing good works and responding to injustice and the needs of their communities. While the hierarchy prattles on about excommunication, Catholic women are working for justice and making a positive difference in the world. This inappropriate use of excommunication and the Vatican’s stance on ordination are based on arguments that have been refuted time and again. In 1976, the Vatican’s own Pontifical Biblical Commission determined that there is no scriptural reason to prohibit women’s ordination. Jesus included women as full and equal partners in his ministry, and so should the hierarchy. The call for women’s equality in the Catholic Church is reverberating loudly in the public consciousness. Around the world, over sixty women have been ordained as priests, deacons or bishops by the group called Roman Catholic Womenpriests (RCWP), and there are nearly 100 women in the RCWP preparation program. There are 16 national organizations from 11 different countries that advocate women’s ordination, and the vast majority of US Catholics support the ordination of women. The refusal to ordain women is nothing more than an egregious manifestation of sexism in the church. It is time for the Vatican to listen to its own research, its own theologians and its own people who say that women are equally created in the image of God and are called to serve as priests in a renewed and inclusive Catholic Church. ###

I continue to support the efforts of women who are attempting to "take down the dragon who devours women" the male hierarchy/monarchy of the Roman Catholic Church. Yesterday a gathering occurred at a retreat center in Chicago. It was a group of women already ordained by Roman Catholic Women Priests (RCWP) and women who are thinking about joining them.

We started with a liturgy concelebrated by 4 of the womenpriests and attended by the Chicago deacon who will be ordained here November 1, 2008. Sophia was strongly present. I feel Her by a "movement" spiritually in the room. It was a confirmed by Maura a powerful Irish spiritual director also saying the same thing! Sophia, Spirit of renewal, life, Ruah that moved over the waters in Genesis at the beginning of time, was present. I knew again that women's energy and wisdom is what is required in this time and place for the RCC to find itself again on the path to follow Jesus. After we ate dinner together and spent the rest of the time sharing the stories of women and our "crazy call" to the priesthood. The RCC official position is that women "can never hear the call to priesthood." We are deranged/mentally/spiritually ill if we do. Isn't that nice to have men tell us we feel/think/limit our lives? Haven't we heard the same from cultures across the world? Which happen to be hierarchal patriarchal cultures across the world?

Maureen another friend and I both commented on the sad continuance of exclusive language in the day's liturgy. Use of "lord and he" for God IS not the way to inclusiveness. The RCC requires male only language for God in all public prayer and ritual. One can not use "male and female, men and women" one must use only "men" for the collective. Sorry this leaves me out!