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The Association of Roman Catholic Women Priests (ARCWP)

Mary Bergan Blanchard, Editor, Leading
The Association of Roman Catholic Women Priests (ARCWP) is a group of educated, experienced and seasoned Catholics dedicated to restoring equality, simplicity and inclusiveness to the Church. We do whatever brings the sacraments and compassionate help to those in need. Some of our seventy-six members choose social justice as their mission. Some teach in universities; others gather in small faith communities celebrating Mass and their lives together. One group comforts the sick and dying. Some speak softly and are quietly rational when others, such as Sophia, (in Ask Sophia) are seriously affronted by the state of affairs in the Church today, and say so. You will hear from them all.
We hope you enjoy our newsletter, Leading. This issue’s theme discusses who we are, why we’re here, and what we do.
We are validly ordained priests and deacons, shunned by the hierarchy of the Roman Catholic Church because of our gender. We are dedicated to a joyful theology, which is at odds with the Church’s preoccupation with sin, sex and dreariness.
We are a prophetic movement. Organized religion needs to be reorganized. Millions of Catholics have given up their faith in disgust. If we do not regenerate the interest in the simplicity of Christ’s message, who will? It is buried in over 1,750 man-made Canon Laws. Women and all their contributions have been ignored for nearly two thousand years. Enough!
Many of the following columns will appear every quarter: Spirit of the Season; Meditation material; Spotlight, an interview on the life work of one of our members; Book Review, conclusions of current theologians; Ask Sophia, pertinent questions about us, or our relationship with the Roman Catholic Church; New News, related events worth noting; Liturgy, history of the development of the liturgy; and, From the Editor, how all of the above hangs together.
Please recycle Leading by passing it along to an interested reader … post it on a bulletin board, give it to a friend, drop it off in a doctor’s office, put it on Facebook, Email it – anywhere it might be read. We are trying our best to inform all curious people exactly what we are about. Thank you for your interest.
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With genuine concern being expressed in varied quarters about the toll on the mental and physical health of priests due to increasing workloads and expectations Brian Fahy’s article is timely.
“A soul friend is someone you can go to regularly and share your spiritual feelings and condition with them, trusting them to hold your confidence and to listen in a positive and constructive manner, and who will offer guidance and advice as needed. This habit of having a soul friend puts us all on the level playing field. You are no longer regarded as a suitable case for treatment. You are a fellow traveller on life’s journey and your soul is never neglected.”

Sin of clericalism is at heart of sexual abuse crisis

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Scott Appleby believes that at the heart of the sexual abuse crisis is the sin of clericalism — a constellation of ideas and practices rooted in the conviction that ordination to the priesthood confers a special and privileged status that places the priest above the non-ordained baptized by virtue of the sacrament itself

No room in this Inn?

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Sarah McDonald writes in the Irish Independent of the further censoring of material issuing from the World Meeting of Families.
On this occasion “A bishop’s comments expressing conciliatory views on same-sex couples raising children were edited out of a video promoted by the World Meeting of Families (WMF).”

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Pope Francis’ advice to Bishops

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Andra Tornielli provides a translation of Pope Francis’ address to bishops and says that the speech the Pope gave to bishops appointed during the last year was one of the most important pronouncements of his pontificate: Be present in your dioceses and make sure you are reachable, welcome everyone without discrimination, don’t be pessimists who despair because “the fort is under attack”

5 Comments

  1. Soline Humbert says:

    Are these women the end result of the domino effect,the”unmentionables” of the previous post,Pope of the possible?
    After all,we are assured that with God,nothing is impossible.

    Reply
  2. Lloyd Allan MacPherson says:

    Now there is a statement.
    “Not all love of neighbour has to be dramatic. Most of us can’t take part in either of these situations (Syria/Standing Rock). But simply by being, we make a difference. How? We can do what Christ did … He worked where He was, with what He had, for the people surrounding Him.”
    I think it is hard for the everyday social activist because there is a fear that isolation can handcuff your efforts to be involved/included. These women certainly have the right spirit.

    Reply

  3. If you are an association of Catholic Women Priests and say you are validly ordained but shunned by the hierarchy of the Catholic Church, the question cries out for an answer as to where you validity of ordination comes from?
    Don’t get me wrong, I’m all in favour of women being treated with full equality within the Catholic Church, including access to full ordination but that is not the question here. The question is about your claim to current validity of Catholic ordination.

    Reply
  4. Lloyd Allan MacPherson says:

    @4 if you do some light reading on their website, it clearly states how they were validly ordained.

    Reply

  5. Can’t find it. Perhaps the print is too small. Perhaps someone could spell it out for me.

    Reply

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