Friday, August 15, 2008

Maryknoll priest summoned by superiors after participating in ordination of ‘priestette’

Last month, Dana Reynolds, a Carmel-by-the Sea woman who claims she is a Catholic bishop, ordained three “womenpriests” in Boston. On Aug. 8, Reynolds ordained another womanpriest, Janice Sevre-Duszynska, at a Unitarian church in Lexington, Kentucky. This “ordination,” however, was unique, for it was the first to involve a Catholic priest in good standing with the Church....

...Maryknoll priest Fr. Roy Bourgeois has challenged the Vatican by concelebrating with Dana Reynolds and delivering the homily at Sevre-Duszynska’s ordination service. In doing so, Bourgeois has become the first Catholic cleric in good standing to participate publicly in an attempted ordination of a woman....

Bourgeois’ superiors have summoned him to meet with them at Maryknoll, New York, on Aug. 28. Maryknoll superior general Fr. John Sivalon told the National Catholic Reporter , “We are asking our brother to come home and explain to us what happened....”

A member of Maryknoll for 42 years, Bourgeois said, “I am hoping that my community and our leadership will support me and women, that they will walk in solidarity with women who are oppressed.”
It seems that if this priest is to follow his erroneous conscience, then he must have the courage to leave the priesthood - he cannot possibly be a "priest in good standing" if his understanding of irreformable teachings of the Church are defective, especially when he publicly expresses his opposition to the Church. By his actions, he has severely brought scandal upon the Church and the faithful and has led others into error and dissent.


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