Venice, Fla., Feb 5, 2010 / 05:24 am
The group Roman Catholic Womenpriests recently announced that they are “ordaining” two female “priests” and one “deacon” in an upcoming ceremony in Sarasota, Florida. The Diocese of Venice issued a statement on Thursday denouncing the “ordinations” and saying that the group's attempt “brings division and fractures unity in the Church.”
In a recent press release, Roman Catholic Womenpriests (RCW) announced that “On Saturday, February 6, 2010 at 3:00pm Dena O'Callaghan of Ocala, Florida and Katy Zatsick of Lexington, Kentucky will be ordained priests. Mary Ellen Sheehan of Tucker, Georgia will be ordained a deacon. The presiding bishop will be Bridget Mary Meehan.”
Explaining the group's purported mission, the press release stated that “Roman Catholic Womenpriests advocate a new model of priestly ministry united with the people with whom we minister. We stand in prophetic obedience to Jesus who calls women and men to be disciples and equals.”
“We disobey Canon 1024, an unjust law, that prohibits women’s ordination,” RCW also stated.