The day after five women played ordination at Spiritus Christi, the Democrat and Chronicle ran a brief B-section story on the historic event (we can stop using the word ‘historic’ now, can’t we?). In the article, the paper quotes Sr. Mary Ann Walsh, a spokesperson for the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB) for a reaction to the event. In it, Sr. Walsh said that one doesn’t just wake up one morning and say “I’m going to be priest today.” Well, this upset one of the pretend ordinands from Spiritus Christi, Patricia LaRosa, and now she’s having a cow. From the letters to the editor:
“Sister’s statement was insulting
In the May 2 article entitled “Five women answer call to be religious leaders,” the staff writer quoted Sister Mary Ann Walsh, spokesperson for the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops, as saying, “You don’t wake up and say ‘I’m going to be a priest today.'” This statement is both arrogant and dismissive of the dynamic between God and humanity, and insulting to all people who sincerely listen for God’s presence in the world.
I wonder if Sister Mary Ann Walsh woke up one morning and said, “I’m going to be a nun today.” I wonder if she directs this same insulting comment to men in seminary preparation.
?DEACON PATRICIA E. LaROSA”
I will say that Sr. Walsh could have worded the comment a little better, but the idea is more or less the same. These women who were fantasy ordained at Spiritus Christi made the decision themselves [emphasis on themselves] that they would become priests. This is not how it works in the Catholic Church. To be ordained, one must have the approval of the diocesan bishops, who determines whether or not the person who feels called is truly called to the priesthood. What these women have done is bypass that very necessary step, and made the determination for themselves that their call is true.
Additionally, one must be recognized as worthy by the Church. This was also ignored, as the only ones recognizing their pseudo-ordinations were 350 (I still get a kick out of that low number) schismatics not in communion with the Catholic Church. In a Latin rite ordination, the bishop will ask a priest representing the faithful whether or not the candidate is worthy, upon which the priest will give a yes or no answer. Similarly, in some Eastern rites, the faithful respond “Axios“, meaning “he is worthy.”
Face it Spiritus folk, the ordinations were invalid. These women decided on their own that they were called and that they were worthy. They had themselves ordained on their own. This is not Roman Catholicism, and this is not the way the Church functions.
|
Wouldn't she be a deaconess and the others priestess? Please us the correct terms or please be consistent and say female princes, male waitresses, etc.