Roman Catholic Women Priests Global Statement to Synod Participants Date: 2024-05-01

 INTRODUCTION

 This statement is addressed to Pope Francis and to delegated participants of the Synod on behalf of the Roman Catholic Women Priests Movement around the world. It is intended to acquaint you with the existence of this movement which is an important part of the emerging church of the 21st century.

 Pope Francis has said that all voices must be heard in a Synodal Church in which everyone is co-responsible for mission. We are hopeful that this invitation might soon include us as one of the most marginalized, condemned and excluded groups in our Church. 

 WHO WE ARE

 Roman Catholic Women Priests are baptized persons called by God and their communities to exercise servant leadership as faith-filled ministers of word and sacrament in a discipleship of equals, much as the early followers of the Risen Christ.  In 2002, seven women were ordained in apostolic succession as Roman Catholic Women Priests.  Since then, 265 persons located in 14  countries around the world have answered the call of God to priesthood, and have been ordained priests in this global movement.  The Spirit continues to grace the Church with visionary leaders to be co-responsible partners in the mission and ministry of the Church, especially the Church on the periphery.

 The Roman Catholic Women Priests movement is rooted in the experience, theology and vision of Vatican Council II.  This is reflected in our openness to global insights and cultural adaptation; our affirmation that the church is the people of God gathered in Christ; our openness to ecumenical and inter-faith ministerial relationships; creative and inclusive approaches to Eucharist; the primacy of individual conscience; non-hierarchical, non-patriarchal leadership; and an emphasis on service.

 Around the world people have listened attentively to the Holy Spirit alive and among us.  In spite of hierarchal resistance to honour the gifts of that same Spirit poured out equally on all baptized, some among us have responded to the Divine call to priestly ministry to serve those who are marginalized by institutional regulations and policies.  These people also know rejection by the institution, but remain faithful to God in love and service.

 OUR CHARISM FOR THE PEOPLE OF GOD

 The mission of Roman Catholic Women Priests is to create a renewed priestly ministry in communities of baptized equals. We foster inclusivity by ordaining women and people in marginalized genders to create a Church for everyone. We follow Jesus's example of inviting everyone to an open table to celebrate and receive Eucharist.

 Roman Catholic Women Priests are nurturing an emerging Church for the future of humanity, a Church which not only believes that all are one in Christ, but lives full inclusivity of all who seek to know the desires of the Divine Heart for the world.  They are filling voids of ministry to those who are not well served by the Church due to hierarchical, clerical systems of the institutional Church and insufficient numbers of male priests.

 Among the many ministries Women Priests provide are: servant leadership in small worshipping communities of equal disciples; use of inclusive language and participatory forms of worship; faith formation; and spiritual growth.  Using the gifts of technology for connecting people globally and ministering to them, communities that were initially limited geographically are now communities without walls.

 Rooted in Gospel values, Women Priests live and promote justice by taking an active stance against the exploitation of women in the Church and  the world.  Women Priests support Indigenous and racial justice and welcome immigrants and refugees.  Women Priests respect the sacredness of all life and the diversity of all human families. Women Priests are protectors of the sacred earth and the environment.  Women Priests make world peace the goal of all humanity.

 OUR CALL TO THE SYNOD

 Roman Catholic Women Priests want Synod participants to be aware of our existence and service to the People of God.  We welcome inquiries to learn more about us.

 We desire that the Synod acknowledge that Women Priests are here, responding to the Spirit who breathed on the Church at Pentecost and remains alive and active in these days. Women Priests around the world are serving and leading the Church into new ways of meeting the needs of the people of God.

 We wish to be engaged with Synod participants to share our stories of call and ministry.  We applaud Pope Francis for talking with women of other denominations about their pastoral experiences, as he has recently done.  Please talk with us, too.  Please don’t talk about us without us.  Remove the barriers that excommunicate those who hear God’s call to priestly ministry and respond to it.

This statement comes from the heart of Roman Catholic Women Priests around the world and communities served by them in:

Austria                                                Canada

Columbia                                            France

Germany                                             Great Britan

Ireland                                                Norway

Philippines                                          Scotland

South Africa                                       Spain                                                  

Taiwan                                                United States of America

Visit our website here: https://www.romancatholicwomenpriests.org/  Contacts to arrange a meeting with members are listed there. 

From Women’s Ordination Conference newsletter

The US bishops have now made their national synthesis of diocesan synod sessions publicly available, and if that wasn't enough of a surprise, it also included this quote:

 “There was a desire for stronger leadership, discernment, and decision-making roles for women – both lay and religious – in their parishes and communities: ‘people mentioned a variety of ways in which women could exercise leadership, including preaching and ordination as deacon or priest. Ordination for women emerged not primarily as a solution to the problem of the priest shortage, but as a matter of justice.’”

 Even filtered through the USCCB, a clear and bold call for women's ordination as a matter of justice made it into the document. That is an amazing thing. And would not, could not, happen without you! Thank you for the ways you courageously and vulnerably engaged with the synod.

 This report joins a global chorus of voices calling out for Gospel equality. In England, Ireland, southern Africa, Australia, Germany, Spain, Canada, and elsewhere, the People of God long for ordination justice.

 Now, the process zooms out to the Continental Phase, where groups of lay experts and bishops representing large geographical and "episcopal regions" so to speak, will draft a “Final Document for the Continental Phase'' summarizing themes collected in national reports. These documents will then form the basis of the Instrumentum Laboris, or working document, for the final stage of the synod.

 While not much is known yet about who has been hand-picked by the hierarchy to guide this phase of the process - largely behind closed doors - we know from experience that our efforts must continue.

 The message from Kate McElwee and Katie Lacz, WOC

June, 2022

Dear Senators:

After another week of tragic gun violence and the deaths of 19 children and 2 adults at the Elementary School in Uvalde, Texas, we feel compelled to write this letter. It appears that our elected leaders are more interested in listening to the NRA gun lobby than protecting our children. This must change!

Please act on legislation for common-sense gun laws and responsible gun ownership. The tragic deaths from gun violence not only affect the families of the victims, but also affect the survivors and the rest of the community.

The United States has become a battleground with fatalities in churches, schools, theatres, and grocery stores; places we formerly considered safe. Tragedies like Columbine, Sandy Hook, Buffalo, Parkland and now Uvalde are fast becoming reoccurring news headlines.

When is enough enough? Please do whatever it takes to stop these gun-related tragedies: listen to experts, reach across the aisle, pray for enlightenment-whatever it takes to make gun violence stop. You have the authority to change the love of power to the power of love.

Respectfully yours,

Full Circle Catholic Church