Two women ordained as priests in a
disputed ceremony Sunday have been issued summonses by St. Louis
Archbishop Raymond Burke demanding they appear before a church
tribunal…
Elsie Hainz McGrath said she and Rose Marie Dunn Hudson do not plan to
show up for the Dec. 3 hearing as ordered by the archbishop. “If I do
go, it’s just going to cause a lot of grief and it’s not going to
change anything,” McGrath said.
She said she’s not sure what the repercussions will be but said the
letter makes it clear that the hearing would be their last chance to
defend themselves…
Often news stories on women’s
ordination are framed around the idea of the brave women fighting
against the evillll male hierarchical church. Yet when these
two brave women priests are called to defend their actions they run
away.
The Ballad of Brave
Priestesses
Bravely bold priestesses rode forth from St. Louis.
They were not afraid of
Burke, O brave Priestesses!
They were not at all
afraid to be excommunicated,
Brave, brave, brave,
brave Priestesses!
They were not in the
least bit scared of the male hierarchy,
Or to have their stoles
gouged out, and their ponchos broken;
Or grave canon law and
the constant teaching of the Church,
Or that out
of touch old man in Rome, brave Priestesses!
Quickly turns into:
Brave Priestesses ran
away.
Bravely ran away, away!
When danger reared its
ugly head,
They bravely turned
their tail and fled.
Yes, brave Priestesses
turned about
And gallantly they
chickened out.
Bravely taking to their
feet
They beat a very brave
retreat,
Bravest of the brave,
Priestesses!
*Apologies to Monty Python
19 comments
BBQ, anyone? (kidding.just kidding.)
I do think Archbishop Burke could have handled this better. If he had simply shown up at the play resembling an ordination and done what any upstanding Archbishop could do to take them by suprise. Convene the SPANISH inquisition, no one ever expects a spanish inquisition.
Under the Mercy,
Matthew S
When will they learn, you don’t walk on water unless Jesus calls you to walk on water.
It does seem strange. If they think they are right this would give them a chance to publicly argue their case. Why would they not want to do that? To publicly call it a “kangaroo court” is something no priest would ever do.
AMDG give no source for what is formatted as a quotation.
Isn’t this of enough interest tht we deserve a chance to check out the actual story instead of what someone says someone says?
At least Bp Burke does something!
He may not always be the best politician as he handled the Polish church St Stanislaw (sp?) horrible and looked like a poacher, but I respect this Bishop. I watched him last year with Raymond Arroyo having it out with the USCCB Skylad and Gregory over their refusal to issue a proclamation for all american bishops to not give communion to catholic abortion promoting politicians, instead again leaving it up to each individual bishop (Is the church still ONE when this is so prevalent?)
He at least stands for something, anything that at least resembles what early church Bishops died for. I could actually picture him fighting for the faith where I can see the rest of these so called Bishops running for the hills or worshiping Baal or whatever they were told to do and deny the faith
Or to have their stoles gouged out, and their ponchos broken
LMAO!
BMP
No need to apologize to Monty Python. This was great variation on the theme.
Will said,
“AMDG give no source for what is formatted as a quotation.
Isn’t this of enough interest tht we deserve a chance to check out the actual story instead of what someone says someone says?”
Will, while AMDG did not name the source in the article, he did provide a link titled “source” that those of us who are truly interested in the “actual story” can check out. All you have to do is click on it and the “actual story” magically appears!
Simply meeting with the bishop will cause grief? I suppose the confusion and hard feelings caused by their “ordination” was warranted, though. I’m not the only one seeing a pattern of “only theological progressives shouldn’t have their feelings hurt,” am I?
There’s got to be a farcical TV show or comic waiting to be made in here somewhere about a oppressed group that gets fed up and starts a secret society that does nothing but pretend to be the oppressors. I know it was a popular make-believe topic when I was a child. Maybe they’ll show it on HWTN?
Jeff, with your talent for graphics, perhaps you could design a shield for our “brave” priestesses. As I recall, Sir Robin in Monty Python had one with a robin or chicken on it. 🙂
The Monty Python shield of Sir Robin had a big chicken on it.
I love the ‘Brave Priestesses’ song. There should be a few more verses.
Now I can’t quit humming the tune.
Dang.
From the article:
“If I do go, it’s just going to cause a lot of grief and it’s not going to change anything,” McGrath said.
Same could have been said about the faux ordination.
“When the going gets tough”, some “run away, run away, run away!”
I do think Archbishop Burke could have handled this better.
This same comment was made of the Sheryl Crow affair. In fact, then as in this case, communications were handled privately between the Archbishop and these two women. And this over a period of a few weeks.
These women are the ones who continue to make public, portions of the private communications.
They had been duly notified that their actions would result in grave consequences yet they chose to ignore him.
Whether these women are consumed by pride or ignorance is for God to judge. Nevertheless their actions can be judged as gravely sinful and a matter which now requires public condemnation as well as prayers for reparations, repentance and conversion. Their scandalous and schismatic actions, the confusion, and animosity they sow toward Abp Burke surely are being dealt with according to the requirements set forth by the Church.
There are many of us in St Louis who are so grateful to have been blessed with a bishop whose fidelity to Christ and His Church is beyond reproach. Were the media slanted in the opposite direction (as in fair), others might see him as he truly is – a man who has a profound sense of charity, humility and justice. This includes his actions regarding the St Stanislaus affair, the details of which few have bothered to investigate in order to determine the actual facts.
I want to see more of this, including the Flying Killer Vole and the Pope who says NI! And let’s not forget the Castle of Virgin Knights, with its Book-Shaped Beacon, run by the Brown Scrivner…
Praise the Lord for Archbishop Burke, would that we have other brave ones.
When then Bishop Burke forbad the local congressman in Wisconsin from taking communion, it played out in the press as the Bishop being a hardliner.
What in fact took place is precisely what took place here. He had numerous private communications with the individuals involved to remind them of Church law (so they couldn’t claim ignorance) and to give them the chance to repent. That they persisted gives him all the ground in the world to excommunicate.
Just like the Episcopal church, I wonder when the Catholic church will also split, with those that are so fed up actually agreeing with and joining forces with the so called schismatic traditionalists who are really only about 20 years ahead of us, and the female ordination/homosexual/communion handout to anyone wing of the church
We will unite and kick these heretics out once and for all with these phony Bishops as well
I applaud this blog and a few others to have the guts to tackle these subjects, where the Mark Shea’s and Jimmy Akins offer no commentary on their feelings on these horrible subjects(except the same old discussion on UFO’s and torture and their wonderful trip to England-so full of himself)
There happens to be a new priest over at St Patricks in NYC who is leaving for Milwaukee to learn the TLM, and is asking all in secret to write to Cardinal Egan to grant permission because there is still a hammer being held over these brave young priests who actually want to be reverent
Please write St Patricks here in NYC attention Cardinal Egan to allow the Traditional Latin Mass
for those who think women should be ordained….let them remember the phrase “In Persona Christi” or in the person of Christ. Look at the Crucifix people. Christ was a man. Priests are supposed to immitate christ in their function in the mass. Thus, you have to have a man up there. End of story. To have a woman, you dont even have to argue it with tradition. Its down right confusing. What would we call them …”Mother” ? No, you cant, because you already call heads of consecrated orders of women “Mother” . Would you call them then “Priestess” …no sounds awefully druid to me. Conjures up images of people dancing around a log or cauldron.
What His Grace did here, was the perfect example of what a Bishop should do. I live in St. Louis, and have had opportunity to meet with him several times, as I am a musician in our diocese. No one famous of course, just another voice in a choir, sometimes I have had the honor of being a cantor at a mass he presided. He is everything a Bishop should be, compassionate, yet firm. His sacred office, is to preserve and defend the Catholic Faith. He swore that the day he became a priest. For him to not stand up in the way he has, would be a breach of that core vow that every priest makes. Though I have always felt that on the public, there could be a more compassionate approach, as has been pointed out, we never see all of it. Who knows how many times in private, the Bishop or the Diocese implored, pleaded prayed for/with these women that they would make the right decision, and not go through with it.
When you go outside of what the church allows, that is what heresy is. If you dont like something the church teaches, work within, get it changed. If not, accept it, and the teaching of the bishops as the Spirit at work.
I do pray for people like this, and pity them, But Archbishop burke was well within is authority to act in how he has. I continue to pray for , and laud our Archbishop.
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