Posted on 07/03/2005 5:30:41 AM PDT by NYer
LYON, France A French woman defied a threat of excommunication by the Roman Catholic Church and held a ceremony proclaiming herself a priest on Saturday.
In a small ceremony on a boat, Genevieve Beney was joined by other women from around the world who have taken similar dramatic action to draw attention to the churchs policy against women priests.
This is not a rupture with the Roman Catholic Church, Beney said in a statement read aloud before she boarded the boat. If there is a rupture on my part, it is with a situation that I consider to be obsolete and unjust to women.
The Vatican has not commented on the case but has made clear it sees no room for debate about opening up the priesthood to women. The Church says Jesus chose men to be his apostles and that the practice of ordaining only men must stand.
In 2002, seven women from Austria, Germany and the United States conducted an ordination ceremony and were promptly excommunicated from the church.
Two of the women who participated in that ceremony Gisela Forster of Germany and Christine Mayr-Lumetzberger of Austria led Saturdays ceremony, along with a third woman who followed in their footsteps, Patricia Fresen of South Africa.
Beney, a theologian, says its time for the church to change.
We consider ourselves Catholic, Beney told AP in an earlier interview. But we do not agree with the church law that says only a baptized male can be ordained as a priest.
The Archbishop of Lyon, Philippe Barbarin, urged Beney earlier this week not to follow through with her plan, saying it will constitute a serious act of rupture in respect to the Catholic Church.
There will be no truth to the words that will be pronounced, Barbarin said. For many Catholics, this will be a source of useless injury and suffering.
A spokesman for the archbishop, Vincent Feroldi, said that no decree of excommunication would technically be necessary since Beneys act violates church law and automatically makes her incapable of receiving the sacraments, such as communion.
Before boarding the boat, Beneys husband, Albert Ratz, called his wifes act a magnificent adventure, an act of resistance against incomprehensible blockage by the Catholic church.
Sorry ... that is an elected position. Now if you wish to crown yourself Emperor ... well then, go for it!
Because until the Vatican issues a warning to renegue on her actions, she is still a valid catholic. Should she ignore or refute the warning, the Vatican will then excommunicate her. Until then .... she is a catholic in good standing.
Uninformed people like my mother-in-law think these women really are Catholic priests.
It is up to you to explain all of this to her :-).
If it's a winner, be sure to share 1/2 with your church and thank our Merciful God for His gift!
I do explain it to her. I'm just thinking about those out there that don't have a wonderful, loving Catholic daughter-in-law to correct them! Ha!
I misread the article. I thought they had been ex-communicated. I'll change that title to 'CINO plays make believe and pretends she is a Catholic priest.' Better? :o)
Too late!
Lol ... yes the "See of Dissention". She's a bad girl and deserves to be punished. A warning notice should be in her mailbox tomorrow morning. After that, it's excommunication, like Mary Ramerman.
Outta here!
In your religion are men to be a separate species devoid of the fundamental right to fully participate in every venue of society? Namely, does your religion give men, "the right" to give birth to babies?
"*Had she elected herself Pope, would the body of water the boat was on automatically have become her sea?"
Groannnn!! ;)
Maybe she can walk on water as well?
We are working against the very words of St. Peter in this thread and you are suggesting that a clear, obvious reading of his words leads one to a belief in bestiality.
I suspect you will not pass his muster, which will be soon, eh?!
BTW, the Catholic church has been very pro-science the last couple of centuries, so I'm certainly not going to ask that question of them.
Emperor....hmmmm
Has a nice ring to it. (And the crown you mentioned.:>)
I'll take it.
Why do Catholics pray to Mary but won't ordain women?
I've noticed that at several of her appearances she has expressed displeasure with the way things are going.
Stop right there miss. Way to excommunicate yourself. It's not up to YOU to decide anything. Quit griping, offered it up, and be cleansed of your sins OR, enjoy your self-imposed excommunication. God will NOT be mocked.
I consider myself exiled Supreme Ruler of the Andromeda Galaxy and Overlord of the Milky Way. Means nohting. Idiot.
Would that "Bible" be the incomplete one written in 1611? You know, the KJV?
Wait a second, how is this NOT a case of latae sententiae excommunication?
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