Excommunication of Fr. Bourgeois will ‘certainly take place,’ Vatican official says

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Fr. Roy Bourgeois

Vatican City, Dec 17, 2008 / 09:36 pm (CNA).- A Vatican official has said that the excommunication of Fr. Roy Bourgeois, an American Maryknoll priest who advocates the ordination of women, will "certainly take place" unless the priest renounces his stand.

In exclusive comments made to CNA, the official called Fr. Bourgeois’ November letter defending his stand a "sad piece of propaganda" and argued the dissenting cleric takes his inspiration from American newspapers rather than Catholic doctrine.

Fr. Bourgeois, who is involved in organizing human rights protests at the military training school formerly known as School of the Americas, has called the Catholic position on women’s ordination "sexist." In August, he delivered a homily at a ceremony at a Unitarian church purporting to ordain a woman to the Catholic priesthood.

In an October 21 letter, the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith gave Fr. Bourgeois 30 days to renounce his public support for the ordination of women, on penalty of excommunication.

In a November 7 letter, Fr. Bourgeois said he was compelled to take his stand as a matter of conscience and would not renounce it. The priest said he knew many women who feel called to the priesthood and argued that the Church cannot treat this reputed vocation as invalid.

He characterized the "exclusion of women from the priesthood" as an "injustice."

CNA spoke with an official of the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith regarding the case of Fr. Bourgeois. The official reiterated that all procedures at the CDF are confidential. However, since Fr. Bourgeois decided to make public his letter to the Congregation, he said that "clearly the letter is a sad piece of propaganda and in no way expresses any doctrinal substance for his position."

"Rather, Fr. Bourgeois feels he can engage with the (CDF) to change the doctrine of the Church… quoting American newspapers as if they were a source of any kind of Catholic doctrine."

The official said that the formal excommunication will "certainly take place" as soon as the CDF "responds personally to the letters sent either supporting or denouncing (Fr. Bourgeois.)"

"Of course, Fr. Bourgeois could avoid excommunication at any point if he recants, but unfortunately all his latest actions do not seem to point in that direction," the official told CNA.

Comments: 20

Subscriber comments:

Published by: Prof K
Sycamore, IL USA 05/09/2009 01:46 PM EST

Mabel Yin. The meaning of the Bible has never been self-evident. Every church, and every Christian, has had to "pick and choose" how it interprets the scripture. The Catholic Church has been at it for over 2000 years and I will trust my soul to its interpretations. If you are certain you can do better, you are free to follow Fr. Bourgois. But allow those Catholics loyal to the magisterium to remain so. Prof K

Published by: Jason Miller
Santa Paula, California, USA 01/13/2009 02:45 AM EST

Wow - a lot of poorly thought out propoganda coming from outside the Church. Mind your own business! Most of you are not Catholics and we're not interested in your ideology! We don't tell you what to do in your church. Inclusion and justice?!? Based on that, the Church should ordain non-Catholics. Why not athiests? Maybe we should ordain a serial killer - we need to be inclusive. That argument is dead and buried. Yes women have a role - thank goodness. But it has ALWAYS been different than men. They have complimentary roles, not the same. Just like men can't give birth - darn you women who exclude men from giving birth [sarcasm]. And by the way - the Catholic church DOES have married priests. And the comment about Jesus only picking Jews - it is very clear throughout the Gospels that Jesus came for the Jews first, not to the exclusion of the Gentiles, but the Jews were first in line so to speak. That applies to Apostolic succession as well. Let's make it clear to all you who oppose Church teaching on ordination of men only - there is nothing you can do to change it. Out of over a billion members, only a tiny, tiny percentage supports this idea. Even the Anglican communion has been falling apart over the issue. Give it up and move on!!

Published by: Mabel Yin
Houston, TX, USA 01/07/2009 11:53 AM EST

The 12 disciples were not only men, they were Jewish men. Why didn't Jesus appoint Gentiles? He was first trying to reach the Jews who won't listen to women nor Gentiles. Does the Church today only appoint Jewish men? You cannot pick and choose how you interpret Scriptures and use it to preach an heirarchalist system that clearly is not GOd's will. There were examples of women leaders in Scriptures.

Published by: Rev. Ruth Broeski
Portland, Oregon 01/06/2009 08:36 PM EST

We have looked back and imposed a later idea of priesthood on the Last Supper and on Jesus' Apostles. As someone else said, Jesus never ordained anyone. As the Church developed after Jesus' death, the official ordained ministry developed.

Women were among the followers of Jesus, and were present at the Last Supper. Women were ordained in the early Church. So it is not an unbroken tradition to exclude women.

When you read Paul as he preached to the Gentiles, you realize the message of Christ was to extend to all people, which was scandalous and a difficult change for Jews of that time. The same idea applies here -- we do not now require Christians to be Jews, nor priests to be Jews, either, though all the Apostles were Jews. It is not any more valid to say priests must be men because of the traits of those we regard as Jesus' Apostles. Jesus' message embraced all.

We cannot authoritatively claim Christ intended only men be ordained in our present Church. The same Christ who called both Jew and Gentile, slave and free to Himself calls men and women to the priesthood, too.

Published by: Dee O.
Illinois 01/06/2009 10:29 AM EST

Jesus did NOT ORDAIN ANYONE -- male or female. He created bishops -- Peter and the other Apostles -- most of whom were married (we all know Peter had a mother in law -- check it out in Matt 8:14-16). So why not a married priesthood and married hierarchy? It would keep them "real" and would attract men with normal sexual orientations to the priesthood -- not men who are in denial about their sexual inclinations!

In regard to women being ordained, all I can say is that no one more than Jesus's mother Mary had the right to say, "This is my Body, this is my Blood". If that doesn't make Mary a "priest", I don't know what does!

Published by: Katy Zatsick
Chicago IL USA 01/05/2009 05:16 PM EST

As a woman called to ordination and who read the gospel at Janice's ordination, I can only say I wholeheartedly support Fr. Roy and the women who follow prophetic obedience.

For some reason the commentators so far have not accepted the cultural context in which Jesus lived.

Women were chattel yet Jesus related to them as equals. The woman he chose Mary Magdalene has been denigrated by RCC scholars until the women scripture scholars began to do the research in the 20th century which places Mary on equal footing with the apostles.

The human species continues to evolve in its systems and institutions toward inclusion and justice. If the RCC continues to refuse the voice of the Spirit (the call of evolution) then it will be dead ended.

I for one will continue to work for the equality and inclusion of women in the priesthood and positions of power in the RCC and society.

Fr. Roy says it best "discrimination is discrimination and is unjust." And an institution that exists on power over cannot be sustained.

Published by: Sam
Detroit/MI/USA 12/20/2008 06:02 PM EST

“One might wonder why Jesus never ordained to his priesthood a woman, who many point out as the singular and most worthy candidate -- his Blessed Mother.

Do these women who today are seeking ordination suggesting that they are more worthy than she?

-- RW."

Well, said, Wolf. Your observation is direct and to the point.

As is yours, Joe. “…Jesus chose only men as his disciples, how could the church claim the authority to do anything else?”

Lastly, and most importantly, “Calling the Catholic Church unjust is calling the Lord Jesus unjust. The Son of God never ordained women into apostleship.” Thank you, Mr. Arden.

There is no reason why this topic should come up over and over again. Men were chosen for the vocation of priesthood. This is the base of Catholicism—of any of the 22 rites still practiced in the world today.

Published by: Tom Sanford
Alaska 12/20/2008 03:52 PM EST

Excommunication---entirely appropriate for those who stand in direct opposition to the counsels of the Church and the Holy Scriptures.

Published by: Michael
Lake Jackson, TX 12/18/2008 08:42 PM EST

Dave Pike,

"History tends to prove that most, (not all) reformers that are ex-communicated, were correct in their assessment of the Church." Umm, what?

This is not true. Marcion, Arius, Nestorius, Berengarius, Luther, Calvin, etc were wrong and still are.

Published by: Brother Andre Marie
Richmond, New Hampshire, USA 12/18/2008 08:33 PM EST

I believe his name is Roy Bourgeois, not Ray.

I'm from Louisiana and can recall this disturbed man pulling all sorts of liberal agitprop stunts for media attention. He's an MM, a Maryknoller. If he were really a missionary, he would be interested in spreading the Gospel, i.e., the Catholic Faith, as were the holy founders of Maryknoll, Bishop James A. Walsh and Father Thomas F. Price. Instead, he sings the glories of liberalism and progressivism, a false gospel that leads to hell.

Published by: R. Wolf
USA 12/18/2008 08:09 PM EST

One might wonder why Jesus never ordained to his priesthood a woman, who many point out as the singular and most worthy candidate -- his Blessed Mother.

Do these women who today are seeking ordination suggesting that they are more worthy than she?

-- RW.

/\/\/\

Published by: ded
Detroit 12/18/2008 05:22 PM EST

Dave Pike,

"History tends to prove that most, (not all) reformers that are ex-communicated, were correct in their assessment of the Church." Umm, what?

Do we really need to have the argument about "women priests" yet again. The matter is settled. Read the arguments presented by the Church. Respond to these arguments and tells us how the Church is wrong. Study the nature of the priesthood as defined by the Catholic Church. Tell us how the Church is wrong on this? The priesthood of Jesus Christ is not open to change for sake of change. The nature of Sacramental priesthood is not defined by cultural trends or popular vote.

Published by: Lada
Edmonton, Canada 12/18/2008 05:14 PM EST

Yes, Tom, the Latin rite once had married priests. My rite still has them. This has absolutely nothing to do with women's "ordination." You're using a legitimate precedent to try to justify something that has no legitimacy and no precedent.

Published by: Tony Arden
San Francisco CA 12/18/2008 04:42 PM EST

Calling the Catholic Church unjust is calling the Lord Jesus unjust. The Son of God never ordained women into apostleship.

Published by: Joe
Houston, Tx 12/18/2008 03:53 PM EST

Thank God the church is standing for the faith and not allowing supporters of this view to carry on as if they were supported by the Church or the Gospels. Jesus chose only men as his disciples, how could the church claim the authority to do anything else?

Published by: Tom Kelty
Valatie NY 12/18/2008 01:18 PM EST

Rate: Regular

This is one sad skirmish in a battle that is only beginning. Our beloved church will be very slow to recognize the need to review celibacy and a male only priesthood. Many will suffer due to their stiff-necked intransigence. For our first 1200 years a married clergy was the norm.

Published by: Dave Pike
Independence KY, USA 12/18/2008 12:40 PM EST

Rate: Regular

I applaud Fr. Ray Bourgeois for his courage and willingness to speak using his prophetic voice, drawing attention to just one of the true injustices of the Church. History tends to prove that most, (not all) reformers that are ex-communicated, were correct in their assessment of the Church. The Church is not perfect, it should examine itself deeply and regularly. Such an examination, conducted in faith and honesty, is not from Satan but from God. God Bless Fr. Ray!!

Published by: fidelis
nigeria 12/18/2008 10:28 AM EST

Rate: Very Good

The smoke of satan inside the church. we must stand against the enemy.

Published by: Nkula Kapaya
Lusaka Zambia 12/18/2008 05:41 AM EST

Rate: Very Good

Fr.Ray should just leave the Catholic Church gracefully,she has no time for experiments like his.Let him try the Anglicans and the orthodoxy

Published by: Allan Tesado
Philippines 12/17/2008 10:53 PM EST

Rate: Good

Satan has entered into the Church thru the hearts and minds of some of our priest-one of this is Mr. Ray Bourgeois. We need more good and faithful priests

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