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Nuns back priest under threat of excommunication
Read the article / show / issue that provoked me to write a letter and my response below that or go straight to my response
Date Posted on this Site
December 28, 2008
Publication
Ottawa Citizen Blog
Publication Date
December 17, 2008
Published Content
By Jennifer Green
Despite the Vatican's best efforts, Catholic nuns simply will not shut up on the issue of female priests. If anything, they are growing more vocal.
More than 200 Catholic nuns have signed a petition supporting an activist priest from New York State who is under threat of excommunication for supporting the ordination of women. This isn't just any petition. In June, St. Louis' archbishop punished an elderly nun for simply being at an ordination. So, by signing their names, these women are really saying: "Fine. Excommunicate us all, and see how that works out for you in the press."
The Roman Catholic Church usually doesn't give a damn about the media, particularly in North America. There are 490 million Catholics in Latin America alone, often with more pressing issues. Yet roughly 8,000 Latin Americans a day are leaving Catholicism for the more vibrant, forgiving evangelical faiths in which women are not just allowed, but encouraged to lead.
Latin America has a dire dearth of priests, something like one for every 3,000 parishioners. Mexico tried ordaining more deacons, but Rome disapproved and put a stop to the practice.
Chances are the Vatican would not be heartbroken to see this latest rebel, Roy Bourgeois. He has been extremely vocal in issues of social justice, and has convened an annual demonstration against U.S. Army's School of the Americas at Fort Benning, Ga., for the past 19 years. In recent years, more than 15,000 people have joined the three daylong rally.
It is interesting that I could find very little on conservative Catholic websites about Rev. Bourgeois but plenty on the more liberal ones. Sister Joan Chittister, author and columnist for the National Catholic Reporter, quoted Pope John XXIII on his opening address to Vatican Council II: The church has always opposed errors regarding the faith and, in the past, did so "with the greatest severity. Nowadays, however, the spouse of Christ prefers to make use of the medicine of mercy rather than of severity. She considers that she meets the needs of the present day by demonstrating the validity of her teaching rather than by condemnations."
Commonweal wondered if a priest really could be excommunicated for expressing an opinion. "Some might respond reflexively yes-or no-but there must be a canon firing in here somewhere. Or is it because he is a priest, in particular?
The blog Catholic Sensibility said "... don't see this coming to a diplomatic ending; do any of you?
My Response Letter
Some things to consider:
1. The 200 nuns who signed this petition out of 760,000 female religious around the world hardly constitute a growing and vocal movement.
2. Excommunication is not a dismissal from the priesthood. It is a canonical penalty for medicinal purposes. It is intended to draw a person into repentance and back into full communion with the Church. Your assertion is incorrect. The Vatican would be heartbroken to see Fr. Bourgeois leave and that is why it asked him to recant under threat of excommunication. Read more on Canon Lawyer Ed Peters blog: http://www.canonlaw.info/2008/12/is-fr-bourgeois-still-maryknoll-priest.html
3. Fr. Bourgeois was excommunicated, not only for his opinion, but also because of his public support for so-called women's ordination and - most importantly - his participation in the simulation of ordination ceremonies.
4. It is not true that the Vatican does not care about the media, especially in North America. His Holiness, Pope Benedict made a trip the US earlier this year - which says a great deal about how much he and the Vatican value North America. During that trip, the press were given considerable access to the Holy Father.
5. All of this is sad and people should pray for Fr. Bourgeois's reconciliation with the Church and with God!
Was my response published?
No. For some reason, the writer has not accepted this comment to her blog post?