Former Nuns Host Womenpriests' "Ordination"
On Sunday, July 22, 2007, the Immaculate Heart Community, a group of former Catholic nuns, hosted a gathering of members and guests of Roman Catholic Womenpriests (RCWP) at the community's La Casa de Maria on Bosque Road outside of Santa Barbara, California. An "ordination" ceremony took place at about 3:41 p.m. that afternoon. One woman was "ordained" a priest. Two other women were "ordained" deacons.
While Santa Barbara Independent reporter Martha Sadler and photographer Paul Wellman were sworn to secrecy as to the ceremony's location, Catholic bloggers quickly recognized the retreat center, which has hosted past women's ordination events, such as the Conversation and Celebration of Women Called held last year on Saturday, February 18, 2006.
The newspaper account reported that the women "are part of a movement from within the Roman Catholic Church". However, that is not the case as the women and their hosts have in fact separated from the Catholic Church by their actions. Canon law is clear that ex communication automatically occurs for the candidates, presiders, and many of the attendees. Formal notification by the Church is not required.
Additional "ordinations" are planned for today, July 28, in Portland, Oregon and on Sunday, August 12, in Minneapolis, Minnesota.
While women's ordination is a popular modern heresy, the Catholic Church has definitively decided the matter for Catholics. Pope John Paul II declared in Ordinatio Sacerdotalis in 1994; "I declare that the Church has no authority whatsoever to confer priestly ordination on women and that this judgment is to be definitively held by all the Church's faithful."
We have previously discussed the lack of valid matter, and thus the lack of a valid sacrament, in the case of women's ordination. However, as an apologist I'd be curious as to what authority these women claim that the Bishop of Rome and the Church find lacking for themselves. Ladies?
Source: Santa Barbara Independent
While Santa Barbara Independent reporter Martha Sadler and photographer Paul Wellman were sworn to secrecy as to the ceremony's location, Catholic bloggers quickly recognized the retreat center, which has hosted past women's ordination events, such as the Conversation and Celebration of Women Called held last year on Saturday, February 18, 2006.
The newspaper account reported that the women "are part of a movement from within the Roman Catholic Church". However, that is not the case as the women and their hosts have in fact separated from the Catholic Church by their actions. Canon law is clear that ex communication automatically occurs for the candidates, presiders, and many of the attendees. Formal notification by the Church is not required.
Additional "ordinations" are planned for today, July 28, in Portland, Oregon and on Sunday, August 12, in Minneapolis, Minnesota.
While women's ordination is a popular modern heresy, the Catholic Church has definitively decided the matter for Catholics. Pope John Paul II declared in Ordinatio Sacerdotalis in 1994; "I declare that the Church has no authority whatsoever to confer priestly ordination on women and that this judgment is to be definitively held by all the Church's faithful."
We have previously discussed the lack of valid matter, and thus the lack of a valid sacrament, in the case of women's ordination. However, as an apologist I'd be curious as to what authority these women claim that the Bishop of Rome and the Church find lacking for themselves. Ladies?
Source: Santa Barbara Independent
Labels: Catholic, Catholicism, Ministry, Womenpriests
1 Comments:
Interesting post, Tim.
I know *alot* of Catholic women, and not a one of them is in favor of female ordination any more than they'd want to "overturn" any of the other six sacraments of the Church.
Keep up the good work on the blog, I like the scrolling scripture widget up top quite a bit!
Blessings,
Jeff Baker
DefendUsInBattle.org
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