from Women's Ordination Conference. www.womensordination.org
Recently, Fr. Roy Bourgeois (founder of the School of the Americas Watch) received a letter from the Maryknolls saying that he would be removed from the order unless he recanted his support for women’s ordination. Today, Fr. Roy went to the Vatican Embassy, where he announced that he could not in good conscience recant his support for women’s ordination. You can read his full statement here.
In spite of the fact that I used to work for a peace lobby and am an enthusiastic supporter of citizen lobbying, I am usually quite horrible at writing letters to my representatives (or, to my bishops, for that matter). However, I was so affected by Fr. Roy’s bravery that I sat down this week and wrote a letter to the Superior General of the Maryknoll Fathers and Brothers. Here it is:
Dear Rev. Dougherty,
I am writing to say how sad I was to hear about your letter to Fr. Roy Bourgeois, informing him that he will be removed from the order if he does not recant his support for women’s ordination. I feel obligated to express my solidarity with Fr. Bourgeois because, even though we’ve never met, I feel that he has risked everything to speak for me.
As a young Roman Catholic woman who feels a call to ordination, I’m used to seeing women like myself and our supporters threatened for being open about our calling. However, I have found myself particularly heartbroken over Maryknoll’s handling of this situation because Maryknoll priests have always held a special place in my heart.
When I was 13, I first felt a call to ordination while hearing a Maryknoll priest give a homily at my church. This priest was visiting my small California parish after having done missionary work in Mexico, and as I heard him describe his life dedicated to the Body of Christ– both in the Bread and Wine and among the poor in Mexico– I felt an overwhelming voice inside of me say “THIS is what you need to do.” This experience has always made me feel a deep love for Maryknoll. If more doors had been open to me, I suspect that I would have fulfilled my priestly vocation as a Maryknoll.
As a college student six years ago, I first attended the SOA Watch vigil at Ft. Benning. I have now been to the vigil four times, and it has shaped my life in ways that I could have never anticipated. My experience at the vigil called me to be a more active Catholic, and lead to my current career in promoting solidarity between Christians in the US and Central America. I know countless other young adults who’s faith and life has been shaped by SOA Watch. Many of these young people have chosen to become Maryknoll priests, sisters or lay missioners as a result of this experience. I believe that Fr. Bourgeois is an incredible evangelist for Maryknoll and if he were removed from the community it would damage the fine reputation of this order, particularly among young adults.
I don’t believe that you want Fr. Bourgeois removed from the order, and I suspect that this whole ordeal is causing you a great deal of pain. By openly supporting women’s ordination, he has put you in a very difficult position. By asking you to allow Fr. Bourgeois to remain a Maryknoll, I know that I am asking you to take a personal risk, just as he did. But I have faith that as a priest and as a Maryknoll you aren’t a man who makes moral decisions based on convenience.
Our faith is full of saints who risked everything and took stances that put them at odds with the Church hierarchy. Some of them were excommunicated, or even martyred. In the end, these people weren’t judged by how the Church responded to them but by their faithfulness to the Church, as well as to their own conscience. Fr. Bourgeois has been a faithful servant of Christ for decades. By challenging the Church that he loves, he is standing in the company of St. Joan of Arc, St. Mary MacKillop, St. Theodore Guerin and many more. I ask you to join them by taking a risk, yourself: please allow Fr. Bourgeois to remain a Maryknoll priest. Regardless of your views on women’s ordination, Fr. Bourgeois should not be excluded from the order that he has devoted his life to simply for following his conscience.
In 100 years, I believe that Catholic scholars will see Fr. Bourgeois’ statement as a key moment that lead to a more inclusive and accountable Church. I pray that those scholars will be able to say the same thing about Maryknoll.
In Christ’s peace,
Christine Haider
If you feel so moved, you can write your own letter to Fr. Dougherty at:
Maryknoll Fathers and Brothers
P.O. Box 305
Some good sources on the situation with Fr. Roy:
Bourgeois tells Maryknoll: ‘I cannot lie, I cannot recant’- National Catholic Reporter
Catholic priest who backs ordaining women faces expulsion- USA Today
Catholic Church Targets Proponent of Women’s Ordination; Feminist Theologian- Mary E. Hunt (Religion Dispatches)
Facing expulsion from church, priest vows to live for peace- Miami Herald
Roy Bourgeois’ priesthood can never truly end- Jamie Manson (National Catholic Reporter)
