As Joshua J. McElwee (NCR) has reported, Roy Bourgeois, a longtime peace activist and priest who had come under scrutiny for his support of women’s ordination, has been dismissed from Maryknoll, which he served for 45 years. He didn’t abuse any children. Unlike some bishops, he did not protect and cover up sexual abusers….He simply said it is time to acknowledge women priests.
The Vatican’s Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith made the dismissal in October, according to a news release issued a few days ago by Maryknoll. There was no consultation with Bourgeois. Rome does not consult. Rome speaks and Rome expels.
Tom Doyle, a canon lawyer acting on Bourgeois’ behalf, told reporters he was not aware of the move. Doyle said he and Bourgeois met with Maryknoll’s superior general, Edward Dougherty, in June, and the issue of dismissal had not been discussed.
“The idea then was that things would continue and they would not dismiss Roy and they would continue to dialogue,” Doyle said. “And then this just happened, unilaterally. [Bourgeois] had no idea.”
Rome doesn’t like dialogue, and the old boys club is intimidated by women, who minster with self-assurance, dignity, and grace.
I am still a Catholic; but my mind and heart are anchored in Jesus of Nazareth…not in the increasingly strange Jesus of Rome.
May God bess and protect Father Bourgeois.
Someone in Billings Montana told me this weekend that the bishop in N. Mexico has forbidden Rohr to do any more public stuff. � Is this true?
>________________________________ > From: Another Voice >To: collinspw@yahoo.com >Sent: Sunday, November 25, 2012 3:38 PM >Subject: [New post] Rome Speaks and Roy is Out > > > WordPress.com >John W. Greenleaf posted: “As Joshua J. McElwee (NCR) has reported, Roy Bourgeois, a longtime peace activist and priest who had come under scrutiny for his support of women’s ordination, has been dismissed from Maryknoll, which he served for 45 years. He didn’t abuse any children. ” >
I played the organ for Roy’s ordination in 1971 while I was living at Maryknoll for 2 years, doing my doctoral studies at Fordham U. �It never occurred to me that Roy would become who he has become. � He was nothing exceptional in those days as far as I can recall.
>________________________________ > From: Another Voice >To: collinspw@yahoo.com >Sent: Sunday, November 25, 2012 3:38 PM >Subject: [New post] Rome Speaks and Roy is Out > > > WordPress.com >John W. Greenleaf posted: “As Joshua J. McElwee (NCR) has reported, Roy Bourgeois, a longtime peace activist and priest who had come under scrutiny for his support of women’s ordination, has been dismissed from Maryknoll, which he served for 45 years. He didn’t abuse any children. ” >
My wife and I worked hard for the marriage equality measure in Maryland (our home) as a simple and obvious matter of justice. During that campaign, we met and worked with many marvelous GLBT people, and came to realize that an end to discrimination against them in the Catholic Church (our church) is an urgent matter. Recently, at a Jubilee Faithful meeting, I picked up a copy of Roy Bourgeois’ “My Journey from Silence to Solidarity” which has awakened me to the fact that an end to discrimination against women in the church, including their call to priesthood, is as urgent a matter. I don’t believe one can argue for one and not the other, and both are compelling and immediate. God continues to travel with Fr. Bourgeois, regardless that the Vatican is more interested in its power and fear of women, and that his order lacks the courage and justice to stand with him.
John, well done. I especially like your thoughts on being a Catholic. I am still formulating my own thoughts on this. I see the church as primarily in the parishes and the ordinary folk involved in “good works”. I don’t see the Vatican and “leadership” as having anything to do with Jesus or the Gospel. They left those behind a long time ago. Everything is at the convenience of the hierarchy. I don’t buy into that.
I also agree with pjnugent’s thoughts.
Keep it up Rome and soon you will have a new church staffed by women and I would seriously consider joining.