Roman Catholic Diocese of San Jose reacts to Womanpriest

Zeenat Umar Posted on 5/10/06 on the Spartan Daily Newspaper

The Diocese of San Jose has publicly condemned Professor Victoria Rue of San Jose State University for claiming that she is a female Roman Catholic priest.

On April 23, the diocese issued the following statement in response to news reports of Rue who leads Mass celebrations twice a week at the Spartan Memorial Chapel.

"Victoria Rue is not a validly ordained priest of the Roman Catholic Church. Members of the Roman Catholic Church should not participate in celebrations of the sacraments that are conducted by Victoria Rue, as those celebrations are not in union with the local or universal Church."

Roberta Ward, director of media relations Diocese of San Jose, said the statement was issued to inform people that Rue's services do not have the backing of the Church.

"We don't want people to be confused," Ward said. "There doesn't seem to be confusion on campus. People need to know what Victoria holds in the Chapel is not a valid Mass."

Rue said that her initial reaction to the reproof of the diocese was to the absence of open dialogue.

"The bishop did not try to communicate with me before making his statement that was published in all parish bulletins of San Jose," Rue said. "I want the bishop to hear my story of how I have been called to be a priest and how I was ordained a priest."

Rue said that she and Don Cordero, a married priest who celebrates the Masses with her, have spoken with Father Jose Rubio at Catholic Ministries in San Jose regarding the issue, but they wish to talk to the Bishop.

"I want him to hear Don Cordero's story as a priest who is married but forbidden to practice as a priest because he is married," Rue said. "I am hopeful that when the bishop hears our stories, and we hear the bishop's story of how he himself was called to be a priest, that we can find common ground for understanding."

Ward said the conversation hasn't taken place because the bishop has not been available, but added that if one were to occur, there would not be a whole lot to talk about.

"The Bishop has been out of the country for a while, but in all
seriousness, even it they did talk, it would not be a long
conversation."

"Quite frankly, it would be a short conversation because
she is simply not a validly ordained priest."

Father Rubio was not available for comment.

John Wilhelmsson, a Ministry Center volunteer at the Campus Ministry in San Jose and a practicing Roman Catholic, said the reason the diocese might not have responded to Rue is because, most likely, by engaging in dialogue with Rue, the Diocese would be instigating room for debate.

"It is pretty obvious to anyone who has studied Catholic theology that a woman cannot be a priest," Wilhelmsson said. "It is against the deposit of faith and against who we are."

Wilhelmsson said the issue has become fused with the rights of women to fully participate in the Church. In his opinion, those in favor of women's ordination believe that clericalism is the most significant part of the Church and ignore a healthier model of the Church that promotes all participants equally.

According to Wilhelmsson, the gist of the problem is the attachment of the label of Roman Catholic in Rue's practice.

"Most practicing Catholics are upset she's saying she's Roman
Catholic," Wilhelmsson said. "She's simply not."

Wilhelmsson believes that there may be an agenda behind Rue's acclamation to being a woman priest in conjunction with being Roman Catholic.

"She wants to bring about a change in the Roman Catholic Church, but it's improper," Wilhelmson said. "It's telling a big lie and telling it over and over again."

However, Rue insists that her practice is in union with the Roman Catholic Church.

"The Masses that Don Cordero and I preside at on Sundays at 4 p.m., and the Mass that I preside at on Thursdays at 1 p.m., are Roman Catholic Masses that are in union with the Roman Catholic Church," Rue said. "I am a validly ordained Roman Catholic priest."

Rick Solsten, part of the SJSU staff at the Instructional Resource Center, attends Mass with Rue regularly and said that the diocese is in the wrong for denying Rue's validity.

"Though I believe it is their lawful right to deny validity, I think
they are making a great mistake and are on the wrong side of history," Solsten said. "Women were apostles, priests and bishops with full rights through the third century of the Church."

Solsten said that the diocese should at least be at the stage of
discussion at this point and that he refuses to practice with the real Church until it includes people of all kinds.

"No, I will not practice my faith with the real Church until they
adopt basic human rights for women, gays, lesbians and others they currently marginalize," Solsten said.

Rue said that the statement by the diocese has not appeared to affect any of the people attending the Masses, but in fact has assisted in shedding light on the reason people attend.

"If anything, the statement has only helped to clarify why people are there," Rue said. "And these Masses will continue."

A press release by Rue and Cordero states that Rue was ordained last summer by three women bishops and that this summer four women are scheduled to be ordained as women priests and four as women deacons. The women bishops had been ordained in Europe secretly by male bishops who feared reprisal from the Vatican.

"What we are really doing as women priests and women bishops is following prophetic obedience," Rue said. "We hope that instead of condemning the Roman Catholic women priest movement, church leaders will learn about the history of women's ordination in our Roman Catholic Church and dialogue with us on shaping together a more
inclusive, Christ-centered church of equals."

© Copyright 2006 Spartan Daily

WOC's Ministry of Prophetic Obedience

Within the movement, we are seeing a groundswell of women living out their call to priesthood by being ordained in their small faith community, the Old Catholic Church, the Ecumenical Catholic Communion, and the Roman Catholic Womenpriests movement. The powerful examples of women like Mary Ramerman, Denise Donato, the Danube Seven, the St. Lawrence Nine, and countless others who are moving forward with prophetic ordinations, led WOC to develop our third ministry, the Ministry of Prophetic Obedience, which identifies, supports and serves as a resource for women taking the prophetic step of ordination to live out their call. It was created to help women determine what options they have for ordination and to support these women on their individual journeys. This ministry also helps identify communities ready to move forward with having ordained women deacons, priests and bishops serve in their communities. WOC stands in solidarity with the women and communities of this ministry in following their call and creating this powerful this witness.

These women are moving forward with ordination without the overturning of Canon 1024, and many are saying “unjust laws must be broken.” These women cannot wait another century while the church officials drag their feet on women’s ordination. Now more than ever before, we are seeing that the ordination of women will come -- and is coming -- from the bottom up, rather than from the hierarchy down.

These ordinations are creating a growing dialogue around the question, “What type of ordination should we support?” This dialogue is healthy, and it helps us deal with the issues of maintaining integrity to our Catholic traditions yet being open to the new possibilities with the Holy Spirit.

In the Ministry of Prophetic Obedience, WOC is not only providing women with resources and networks of support like the Ministry of Walking with Women Called, we are also:

When WOC was considering names for this ministry, we originally called it the “Ministry of Ecclesiastical Disobedience.” However, after more consideration we realized this ministry is about more than just butting heads with the ecclesiastical hierarchy. It is about listening to and encouraging the prophetic voices of our time. This ministry is not about “disobeying the hierarchy;” it is about obeying God’s call to serve.

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The celebrations and work of our Three Ministries are focused on the grassroots, so we need local folks to help with committee work and in spreading the ideas. Share your dreams, time, and energy with WOC and help us move forward in this exciting time.

WOC members interested in helping should contact Aisha Taylor at the WOC office 703-352-1006 or ataylor@womensordination.org or visit www.womensordination.org.