The Chicago-based Catholic reform group Call to Action was profiled by the Chicago News Cooperative, highlighting their efforts for a discussion on women's ordination and gay rights. From the article (with an oddly confrontational headline):
The group, Call to Action, an organization for reform-minded Catholics, has collected signatures of more than 150 priests — including 8 in Chicago — on a petition defending a liberal priest, the Rev. Roy Bourgeois, who is being threatened with dismissal for his public support for ordaining women. In an increasingly conservative church, the rebellion has been hailed as a remarkable moment for liberals in the church.
“We just got on the phones and started telling priests, ‘We’ve got to support Father Roy,’” said Nicole Sotelo, 33, a leader of Call to Action, which bills itself as the nation’s largest organization for reform-minded Catholics.
The Rev. Bill Kenneally, who lives in the Beverly neighborhood on the South Side, is among the protesters. Father Kenneally, the 75-year-old retired pastor of St. Gertrude’s Church and volunteer at St. Barnabas Church, said he “and a majority of priests, truthfully” do not agree with the church’s “vapid reasoning” for excluding women.
Father Kenneally said he is unfazed by possible reprisals. “Since I’m retired,” he said, “it’s not like they can take a church away from me.”
Read the full article here.
CTA is obviously a voice for the more liberal Catholic folks.
Their leadership clearly thinks that the role of women in the church is out of whack.
In previous years, they have also talked about issues of prehudice in the church as well as injustice -with some really valuable things to say.
CTA was the original post Vatican II lay organized viice but was soon put aside by the hierachy as too liberal.(The hierachy itself clearly has moved to the right, it musrt be said,)
I think CTA wil remain a viable force for the liberal voice in the church (not a different one, as some critics flipantly and facilely say) but I think will make little difference at policy levels.
The issue of women's ordination is not even allowed tpo be dialogued about now there.
I would argue that reserving Holy Orders for men is not a central, essential part of being Catholic.
As for married men not being eligible for the priesthood, where have you been? There are married Catholic priests. Besides, all Catholic men MAY be priests-no Catholic women may be priests according to the hierarchy.
The details of your comment actually suggest that we're not that far apart on this-change can come slowly but it is trending in that direction. Fr. Roy is on the right side of Catholic history.
CTA is obviously a voice for the more liberal Catholic folks.
Their leadership clearly thinks that the role of women in the church is out of whack.
In previous years, they have also talked about issues of prehudice in the church as well as injustice -with some really valuable things to say.
CTA was the original post Vatican II lay organized viice but was soon put aside by the hierachy as too liberal.(The hierachy itself clearly has moved to the right, it musrt be said,)
I think CTA wil remain a viable force for the liberal voice in the church (not a different one, as some critics flipantly and facilely say) but I think will make little difference at policy levels.
The issue of women's ordination is not even allowed tpo be dialogued about now there.