News - 2008
2007
OCW 2007 November Conference Paper
Marilyn Hatton, OCW Co-Convenor presented the attached paper at the Catholics for Ministry Public Forum 22 November 2008. Approximately seven hundred people attended this Forum.
OCW Press Releases 2007
August 2007: Catholic women welcome Bishop Patrick Power’s support for open
examination of ordination of women in the church!
Catholic women are well positioned to help lead the task of shaping a less
clerical model of priesthood. Available figures indicate that catholic women do
90% of parish pastoral, associate and chaplaincy work in Australia.
Josie Gregory a spokesperson for the Ordination of Catholic Women said `OCW
welcomes Bishop Patrick Power’s support for open and thorough examination of the
issues around the ordination of women and the possibility of a less clerical
model of priesthood.`
OCW agrees with Bishop Power’s view that such a model of priesthood would foster
women’s leadership in the church. Our recently published pamphlet emphasises the
destructive nature of the existing clericalism and the possibilities for a
renewed priesthood.
We believe `a renewed ordained ministry with women and men having an equal role
in leading the church is integral to sustaining the precious faith that has
formed us ` stated Marilyn Hatton Co-convenor OCW. `A less clerical ministry
would revitalize pastoral care and sacramental ministry`.
OCW support, and are keen to work with other progressive catholic groups towards
a less clerical priesthood.
July 2007 Catholic Women Accuse Pell over Education: No Oath of Fidelity
Ordination of Catholic Women into a Renewed Ordained Ministry - OCW - opposes
Cardinal George Pell’s draft pastoral plan for the archdiocese of Sydney. The
plan demands that lay Catholic primary and secondary school principals and
religious education co-ordinators take an oath of fidelity similar to that
demanded of bishops and priests.
OCW considers that Cardinal Pell’s legalistic approach to church teaching is a
misuse of power over those in charge of religious education in Sydney’s Catholic
schools. Demanding blind obedience will place Catholic principals and teachers
with a terrible choice: either to resign from their job or act dishonestly.
Cardinal Pell shows a bullying approach to leadership and a poor understanding
of good educational principles and what it means to be Catholic. Cardinal Pell’s
demand rules out the primacy of conscience of the educators and the ability of
Catholic educational institutions to produce students with a broad education who
can think for themselves. It implies that Catholic educators lack the integrity
to teach the Catholic faith.
OCW Co-Convener, Marilyn Hatton, commented that ‘As mothers and grandmothers we
expect our church leaders to be more responsible in ensuring that the faith that
formed us is passed on to future generations.’
`The Catholic church is our church as much as it is Cardinal Pell’s and if we
are faced with a church whose understanding and teaching is limited we are duty
bound to follow our conscience and speak up.` Our founder Dr Marie Louise Uhr in
Obedience is a questionable virtue wrote: `church authorities not only need to
hear criticism of their ruling such as that on women’s ordination, they also
need to question the basic assumptions about the virtue of obedience.
Challenging the assumption that obedience is fundamental to a Christian identity
is equally necessary for the health of our church.
Furthermore, it is clearly consonant with our scriptural tradition`.
OCW strongly opposes the proposed Oath of Fidelity because like the Vatican ban
on the discussion of the Ordination of catholic women it imposes an erroneous
and unjust burden.
2007 - Petition to Pope Benedict XVI
Please click here to register your signature for the 2007 petition:
Petition to
Pope Benedict XVI: on reinstating the Diaconate for Women
2006
National Conference of the Ordination of Catholic Women 2006 - November 18/19, 2006
Some 40 members attended the Conference which was this year held at the Mount Saint Benedict Centre in Sydney's north-west.
One of the country's most distinguished liturgical theologians, Dr Gerard
Moore, was the first keynote speaker. The reason the subject of the ordination
of women is so contentious ("bishops get really angry if you bring it up - why?"
asked Dr Moore) is due to the late John Paul II's understanding of priesthood as
originating at the Last Supper. The difficulty with this notion is that,
logically, the priesthood must preceed the establishment of the Church and
Baptism. However the Church must exist before any ministry of any kind can be
established, according to Dr Moore. "Priestly ministry and leadership are gifts
of the Spirit - the Spirit that was given to all at Pentecost," Dr Moore says.
The Uniting Church's Rev. Dorothy McRae-McMahon shared with OCW her
experience of the call to ministry, as well as many personal and ecclesiastical
joys and struggles. Ms McRae-McMahon is also a distinguished liturgist and the
author of nine books on the subject. Her generous acceptance of OCW's invitation
shows Dorothy's ongoing commitment to - and sympathy for - women struggling for
acceptance as ordained ministers. OCW expresses its deep gratitude to Dorothy
McRae McMahon.
A most vigourous panel discussion ensued, moderated by Dr Paul Collins. The panel members were Dr Gerard Moore, Rev. Dorothy McMahon, OCW's Joelle Battestini and, from the Diocese of Broken Bay, Mr Justin Barwick, Director of Parish Support, Pastoral Care and Evangelisation for Broken Bay. Broken Bay's bishop, Bp David Walker, (who was overseas and unable to accept our invitation) recently announced his intention to establish a new ministry for women in the diocese.
Colloquially known as 'Ecclesial Women', the purpose of this new ministry is
to assist in all aspects of pastoral care, responsible to the Bishop. More
controversially, the 'Ecclesial Women' would be mandated as celibates, work for
a stipend and be 'consecrated' for life, as are established Catholic religious
orders and the ordained priesthood.
Workshops on Christian meditation and Catholic activism, along with the launch of the third OCW pamphlet, Duty bound to lead: Steps to a renewed ordained ministry, completed the discussions.
Finally there were three thoughtfully planned liturgies, by Josie Gregory and Ruth Dunnicliff-Hagan. OCW also expresses appreciation to Missionary of the Sacred Heart Fr. Claude Mostowik, who celebrated Mass for us with his characteristic empathy and intelligence.