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French woman ordains herself Catholic priest
Daily Herald ^ | July 3, 2005

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 church’s 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 Saturday’s 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 Beney’s act violates church law and automatically makes her incapable of receiving the sacraments, such as communion.

Before boarding the boat, Beney’s husband, Albert Ratz, called his wife’s act “a magnificent adventure, an act of resistance against incomprehensible blockage by the Catholic church.”


TOPICS: Activism; Catholic; Current Events; General Discusssion; Ministry/Outreach; Moral Issues; Religion & Culture; Theology; Worship
KEYWORDS: frenchchristians
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To: AgThorn
Great link and great article! Well written piece and a great testimony for the Catholic church and for the foundation of 'male' priests. thanks for sharing. A former Catholic

ONCE CATHOLIC

41 posted on 07/03/2005 4:11:38 PM PDT by NYer ("Each person is meant to exist. Each person is God's own idea." - Pope Benedict XVI)
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To: xzins
I just ordained myself the President of the United States.

Sorry ... that is an elected position. Now if you wish to crown yourself Emperor ... well then, go for it!

42 posted on 07/03/2005 4:13:02 PM PDT by NYer ("Each person is meant to exist. Each person is God's own idea." - Pope Benedict XVI)
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To: muawiyah
Once you get through the headcounts, Protestants are remarkably alone in this world that holds women to be a separate species devoid of the fundamental right to fully participate in every venue of society.

Sadly, they've also leapt face first into being pro-homosexuality, pro-contraception, pro-child murder (aka "abortion"), pro-adultery (aka "remarriage without annulment"), and I'm sure pro-bestiality soon enough.
43 posted on 07/03/2005 4:13:40 PM PDT by Conservative til I die
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To: samiam1972
Why not title it ex-Catholic plays make believe and pretends she is a Catholic priest.

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 :-).

44 posted on 07/03/2005 4:27:25 PM PDT by NYer ("Each person is meant to exist. Each person is God's own idea." - Pope Benedict XVI)
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To: jec1ny
Maybe I should go buy a lottery ticket.

If it's a winner, be sure to share 1/2 with your church and thank our Merciful God for His gift!

45 posted on 07/03/2005 4:46:03 PM PDT by NYer ("Each person is meant to exist. Each person is God's own idea." - Pope Benedict XVI)
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To: NYer

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)


46 posted on 07/03/2005 4:46:25 PM PDT by samiam1972 (Live simply so that others may simply live!)
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To: stocksthatgoup
I hereby ordain myself as POPE

Too late!


47 posted on 07/03/2005 4:49:09 PM PDT by NYer ("Each person is meant to exist. Each person is God's own idea." - Pope Benedict XVI)
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To: bornacatholic
*Had she elected herself Pope, would the body of water the boat was on automatically have become her sea?

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!

48 posted on 07/03/2005 4:53:31 PM PDT by NYer ("Each person is meant to exist. Each person is God's own idea." - Pope Benedict XVI)
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To: muawiyah

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?


49 posted on 07/03/2005 4:58:09 PM PDT by nickcarraway (I'm Only Alive, Because a Judge Hasn't Ruled I Should Die...)
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Comment #50 Removed by Moderator

To: bornacatholic

"*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?


51 posted on 07/03/2005 5:45:02 PM PDT by Tantumergo
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To: Conservative til I die
You are certainly out of line, besides which you are terribly mis-informed.

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?!

52 posted on 07/03/2005 5:50:35 PM PDT by muawiyah
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To: nickcarraway
Science is working that way (men having babies) so I don't think that's a fair question concerning anyone's church.

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.

53 posted on 07/03/2005 5:52:33 PM PDT by muawiyah
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To: NYer

Emperor....hmmmm

Has a nice ring to it. (And the crown you mentioned.:>)

I'll take it.


54 posted on 07/03/2005 6:21:31 PM PDT by xzins (Retired Army Chaplain and Proud of It!)
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To: NYer

Why do Catholics pray to Mary but won't ordain women?


55 posted on 07/03/2005 6:53:35 PM PDT by kerryusama04 (How do you make a Republican a conservative? Put him in the minority...)
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To: kerryusama04
Well, they have their reasons, of course, but no one knows if she'll be happy with them!

I've noticed that at several of her appearances she has expressed displeasure with the way things are going.

56 posted on 07/03/2005 7:08:46 PM PDT by muawiyah
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To: NYer
"“If there is a rupture on my part, it is with a situation that I consider..."

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.

57 posted on 07/03/2005 7:45:04 PM PDT by Romish_Papist (The times are out of step with the Catholic Church. God Bless Pope Benedict XVI.)
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To: NYer
"“We consider ourselves Catholic,” Beney told AP in an earlier interview."

I consider myself exiled Supreme Ruler of the Andromeda Galaxy and Overlord of the Milky Way. Means nohting. Idiot.

58 posted on 07/03/2005 7:48:16 PM PDT by Romish_Papist (The times are out of step with the Catholic Church. God Bless Pope Benedict XVI.)
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To: ovrtaxt
"I'm simply going by the Bible, which I quoted."

Would that "Bible" be the incomplete one written in 1611? You know, the KJV?

59 posted on 07/03/2005 7:55:46 PM PDT by Romish_Papist (The times are out of step with the Catholic Church. God Bless Pope Benedict XVI.)
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To: NYer
"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."

Wait a second, how is this NOT a case of latae sententiae excommunication?

60 posted on 07/03/2005 8:00:07 PM PDT by Romish_Papist (The times are out of step with the Catholic Church. God Bless Pope Benedict XVI.)
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