Roman Catholic Womenpriests — USA, A Joyous Update!

Blessings to you and Peace to our world in this New Year! I write this in early January, looking out toward the year 2006. Roman Catholic Womenpriests—USA (RCWP—USA) is taking on flesh and blood with each new day. I joyously share the news of our group with you here in this article.

Ordinations

As of last summer, there are five womenpriests in the U.S. and Canada: Dagmar Celeste, Michele Birch-Conery, Marie David, Victoria Rue, and Jean Marie St. Onge. Four of these women were ordained by Christine Mayr-Lumetzberger, Gisela Forster and Patricia Fresen last summer on a boat on the St. Lawrence Seaway. This coming July, two U.S. women will be ordained on a boat on Lake Constance in Switzerland and eight on a boat where the three rivers of Pittsburgh meet, four womendeacons will also be ordained. By August 2006, the number of womenpriests in the U.S. and Canada will rise from five to fifteem. As of this writing, there are approximately forty-five women in the preparation program of Roman Catholic Womenpriests in the U.S. alone. Make no mistake about it, each year there will be more. Visit our website: www.romancatholicwomenpriests.org for pictures, biographies, and other news of members of our movement.

Non-Profit Status and Organization

By the time you read this, Roman Catholic Womenpriests— USA will be a non-profit organization (501.c3). This classification will allow us to apply for grants and to receive donations. In particular, we are interested in helping to fund the ministries of our womenpriests and womendeacons, and assisting women financially, if need be, through the process of ordination.

Since August, we have also initiated two modes of communication among the members of RCWP: 1) a listserv to which all women ordinands, deacons and priests are subscribed worldwide; 2) a worldwide web forum that has various committees: Visioning, Community Development, Economics, and Design and Logistics; all members are serve on one or two committees.

During the last year, we formed an important friendship with CORPUS . Ordinands of RCWP— USA are being mentored by members of CORPUS , and this is organized through the National Catholic Ministerial Alliance, of which WOC is a member.  

RCWP Ministries

The ministries of our womendeacons and womenpriests are as varied as we all are.

In Advent, Jane Via (womandeacon) began “A New Catholic Community.” As Jane states its purpose: “to reach out to Catholics who feel disenfranchised by the present direction of the institutional church: driven-away Catholics, fallen-away Catholics, divorced and remarried Catholics, lesbian, gay, and transgendered/transexual Catholics and progressive Catholics who no longer have a parish in San Diego County in which to worship with a true sense of belonging or personal and spiritual integrity.”It has been a tremendous success because people are very hungry for a more compassionate church.The model Jane is creating with her co-presider Rod Stephens is one that is inspiring many of us.

Dana Reynolds (womandeacon)) and I, Victoria Rue, (womanpriest) will begin our own New Catholic Community this spring in Monterey. Meanwhile, in February, I shall begin celebrating a weekly Eucharist at San Jose State University (where I also teach) for students.

Jean Marie St. Onge (womanpriest) is a Chaplain who ministers to dying and grieving adults and children in hospital, home and inpatient hospice and nursing home settings.

Marie David (womanpriest) gives Reiki treatments and training, offers spiritual direction and retreat work along with maintenance of sacred space at Evensong for retreatants to come away and renew their friendship with God. (www.evensongretreat.com).

Michele Birch-Conery (womanpriest) in Vancouver Island, Canada ministers to several emerging faith communities—one in her home, one in Parksville with a member of CORPUS , and a women-church community in Victoria.

Dagmar Celeste (womanpriest) ministers in the hospice movement and lives at "The Tyrian Oasis," an urban hermitage in Cleveland’s inner city where she offers retreats, respite, ritual celebrations, and sacramental opportunities while managing the headquarters of Tyrian, an inter-spiritual education network dedicated to empowering creativity, healing, and peace.

Regina Nicolosi (womandeacon) is a chaplain in a nursing home where she leads ecumenical worship services, Bible studies, and visit residents; she also ministers to dying residents and grieving families.  In addition, she co-directs a feminist spirituality and theology book club and works with the parish pastoral committee.

Kathleen Strack (womandeacon) does therapy work as part of a healing ministry. She counsels elementary public school children, psychotherapy with low income clients in a community mental health clinic, and sees young adults in a community continuation high school.

Rebecca McGuyver (womandeacon) teaches, writes, speaks publicly, and conducts internet-based theological communications—particularly in the areas of scripture, church documents (including the documents of the Second Vatican Council), and bio-theology.

Dana Reynolds (womandeacon) is an author and visual artist, as well as a facilitator for the feminine spiritual/creative process. Central to her ministry is her work as a volunteer hospice chaplain.

Kathy Sullivan Vandenberg (womandeacon) continues to minister to people who are chronic and mentally ill. She is an adjunct teacher in a graduate counseling program, does chaplaincy work at hospital in her area and ministers individually to people who come to her for spiritual direction and guidance.  

Olivia Doko (ordinand) ministers through spiritual direction and retreats, officiates at baptisms, weddings, and funerals, does adult formation for pastoral ministry, and is president of her local inter-faith ministerial association.

Mary Ellen Robertson (ordinand) accompanies others on their sacred journeys as a spiritual director, does individual and group direction, facilitates Anywoman retreats, ministers as a chaplain and publishes The Spiritual Connection, a bi-monthly lettter.

Conclusion

We are filled with joy at the ministries of Roman Catholic womenpriests and womendeacons who are forging new paths. Along with so many courageous women and men at the grassroots of the Roman Catholic Church, we are all part of the new leaven of perseverance, commitment, and visions of an inclusive, justice-loving, peace-loving church.

The words of Teresa of Avila speak profoundly of our program:

Let nothing disturb you.

Let nothing frighten you.

Everything is changeless.

Patience attains the goal.

She who knows God,

Has all her needs provided.

Rev. Dr. Victoria Rue serves as a member of WOC’s Board of Directors and lives in Watsonville, Calif.