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From: Pastor Kathy Redig, RCWP
As a Roman Catholic woman priest, I thought readers would be interested in the following statement by our organization in support of a male priest who has stood in solidarity with women in answering their God-given call to serve as priests.
Roman Catholic Womenpriests-USA stands in solidarity with Fr. Roy Bourgeois, “fired” as a priest and ex-communicated as a Catholic, a bloodless yet painful martyrdom, because he has been a vocal and visible champion for women’s ordination as essential for a just Church. Bourgeois was dismissed Monday from the priesthood and his order by the Vatican’s Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith, (CDF), for refusing to recant his advocacy for full equality of women in the Roman Catholic Church. RCWP publicly expresses respect, support and concern for Fr. Roy, a Maryknoll priest for 45 years. RCWP decries this injustice and calls on all Roman Catholics to express their own dismay, anger, disgust and rejection of the CDF’s action.
Fr. Roy told an RCWP member that his “dark night of the soul has ended in a moment of grace” where he understood that “this sense of dismissal is what women feel.”
The dismissal and ex-communication warrant solidarity by all outraged Catholics. RCWP calls all Catholics to action to protest against the dry rot of sexism in the RC Church: “Boycott the Basket,” by redirecting financial support to any Progressive Catholic reform organization: RCWP, SOA, CTA, VOTF, SNAP, etc. Write op-ed letters. Read My Journey from Silence to Solidarity, Roy Bourgeois. Purchase and view the DVD, “Pink Smoke Over the Vatican.” Send letters of support to Fr. Roy: WOC P.O. Box 15057 Washington, DC 20003 attention: Fr. Roy Bourgeois.
The grievous ex-communication continues the CDF bullying against those who advocate for an inclusive and just Church. No predator priests or their protective bishops have been ex-communicated for their crimes against the innocent. The few dismissals of pedophile priests by the CDF did not occur with the speed or severity as did this reaction to a priest who has refused to recant his stand for women’s equality in the Roman Catholic Church.
Fr. Roy said, “The Vatican and Maryknoll can dismiss me, but they cannot dismiss the issue of gender equality in the Catholic Church.” We agree.
If you are looking for an inclusive Catholic community in Winona that welcomes all to the table and earnestly tries to follow the message of Jesus, join us at All Are One Roman Catholic church for liturgy, on the corner of Huff and Eighth.
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