Wiesbaden Congress Report
François Brassard
The Congress of the International Federation of Married Catholic Priests that took place near Wiesbaden, Germany September 16-19, 2005 had two parts: a full day’s conference on “Ministry in Today’s Church” and a General Assembly where delegates could discuss and decide matters pertinent to the Federation.
In this report I would like to comment solely on the conference given by Dr. Alice Gombault of Paris, France on “Women Ministries.” You can access the entire text in English (my translation) in the Articles section of the Corpus Canada web site. (www.corpuscanada.org).
Though Dr. Gombault did speak about the important contributions of women involved in non-ordained ministries in today’s Church, it was her analysis of the women’s ordination movement that I found most interesting. She documented, firstly, the Vatican’s arguments and strategies against the ordination of women, and secondly, the responses to these points. Her documentation makes clear that there are no valid scriptural or theological arguments against the ordination of women. The only valid argument remaining in the Vatican’s arsenal of opposition is that of ‘tradition.’ It’s the weakest argument of all, firstly, because historical evidence indicates that, though men have predominantly filled leadership roles in the history of the Church, some few women have as well; secondly, as is true of all institutions, traditions change. Contrary to what Rome would have us believe, change is and always has been a constant in the history of the Christian Church, and especially, as we now know through scholarly research, at its very beginnings. And these changes apply both to teachings and to disciplines or practices.
In the discussion period after the conference, the following question was raised: “if the only argument remaining against the ordination of women is that of tradition (‘we can’t ordain women, because we’ve never done it’), then how do we address it?” The answer was given by one of the women-bishops, Dr. Patricia Fresen, who recently ordained Michele Birch-Conery of Parksville, BC: change the tradition by showing that it has been done in the past and by doing it now, even though it is against Canon Law (Canon 1024). The answer was as brilliant as it was simple. Indeed, one of the very oldest traditions in the Church is the doctrine of ‘reception.’ A teaching or a practice of the Church is not valid if it was never or is no longer ‘received’ or accepted by the People of God. This is as true of birth control as it is of the use of altar girls.
In conversations with delegates after the conference, it was clear to me that everyone agreed that there were no valid arguments in theory against the ordination of women. However, I did encounter considerable opposition to the ‘de facto’ or, so-called ‘river ordinations’ that have recently taken place, and this for very different reasons. They range from the traditional to the far left on the church renewal spectrum. I will take them in that order and respond to each of them as best I can from the point of view of the RC Women-priests movement, the European organization that sponsors the ‘river ordinations.’
There are some people who oppose the ‘de facto’ ordinations precisely because they are ‘contra legem’ (against the law). They see them as acts of defiance against the hierarchy that further alienate the church renewal movement from the Catholic mainstream. The Women-priests movement denies firmly any intention of defiance in their actions. On the contrary, it is a courageous act of love that drives them. They consciously choose to do what they do out of ‘prophetic obedience.’ It is prophetic obedience that calls them to take action against an unjust law of the Church. Also, like so many other people, they see the Church in disarray, due in large part to the present clerical system of leadership. Catholics are leaving the institutional church in droves and the hierarchy doesn’t understand how its leadership style has contributed to making the church irrelevant. The bishops can no longer lead, because they no longer have much credibility. In response to this critical situation, the RC Women-priests movement has chosen to model in the manner of Jesus an inclusive and empowering form of leadership. I will speak to this in greater detail below.
There are many people, mostly women from the WOW or WOC movements, who oppose the ‘de facto’ ordinations of women, because they see them either as giving comfort to or continuing the ‘sacred domination’ (term used by Elizabeth Sch üssler-Fiorenza) of the clerical, hierarchical, male-dominated form of leadership. I had a wonderful conversation at the Congress with a non-ordained deaconess who holds this position. I was moved by her sincere love of the Church as evidenced by her deaconal ministry. I responded to her from my lived experience of the RC Women-priests movement. I agreed with her that what she and others fear is a real danger, and that to avoid it requires constant, vigilant care and prayer on the part of everyone in the church renewal movement. I told her that in this respect I was impressed and encouraged by the manner and actions of the ordained women that I have met. I pointed out the example of the two women-bishops present at the Congress in Wiesbaden. Both by their humble, yet energetic presence in discussions on this topic, and by their attentive and engaging style in a social setting, they provided a refreshing alternative to the clerical style of leadership.
More pertinent to this point are certain policies adopted by the RC Women-priests movement. There is a non-essential element of the rite of ordination to the deaconate that the womenbishops omit: the integration of the ordinand into the ranks of the clergy. Technically speaking, all these ordained women are lay deacons, priests or bishops. Better said, they are ordained leaders of the People of God. Their vocations were discerned in the Spirit, validated and acclaimed by the People of God among whom there are no castes. That is why they refuse to use titles of respect or privilege, such as ‘Reverend,’ ‘Monsignor,’ ‘Mother,’ ‘Sister,’ etc. They prefer to be addressed by who they are, that is, by name, e.g. Michele for Michele Birch-Conery.
Another policy or directive given to these ordained ministers, relates to the manner by which they exercise their ministry: they are urged to avoid any conflict or interference with the territorial authority of the clerical leadership. This is the same principle long followed by the (male) married Roman Catholic priests who continue to exercise their ministry in various ways. The clerical leadership is pleased with this policy, because it facilitates their decision to ignore or suppress the whole movement of women’s ordination. The ordained women are pleased with this policy, because it provides them the freedom to exercise a different form of ordained ministry, one that is outside of the box of the present, strictly construed, sacramental ministry. It is in this sense that Michele Birch-Conery speaks of her ‘priestly ministry of reconciliation,’ which she exercises in secular settings, such as nursing homes, hospitals or at her day job at the North Island College. The compassion she brings to her interactions with people in her day-to-day world brings healing and reconciliation that releases, in turn, all kinds of creative energy.
The points just made raise several other objections against the ordination of women that I have heard.
Some people criticize these illegal ordinations as creating a ‘parallel’ or schismatic church. The RC Women-priests movement denies this categorically. Their heart is in the Church they love. They are merely modelling a more Jesus-like form of ordained ministry. They feel called to do this, not only because it is the right thing to do in and of itself, but also because it is absolutely necessary to provide a new vision of the institutional Church, if and when it implodes because of the management style of the clerical leadership.
Another objection that I have heard goes like this: “The last thing the Church needs is ‘vagrant’ priests.” The reference here is to ‘loose’ priests, that is, priests who roam about doing ministry without any official or practical connection to episcopal authority and oversight. The objection is valid and raises a critical point, namely that all ordained ministry is validated by the Christian community through its chosen leaders. Because the RC Women-priests movement is still small and the present ordained ministers are geographically isolated, the danger of irresponsible ministry is real. The three women-bishops at present are acutely aware of this danger and have taken measures to avoid it.
Through the use of electronic technology, they are providing candidates for ordination, as well as present ordinands, accountable opportunities in distance education for enlightened ministries. Also, they are presently creating an on-line forum or parliament for the discussion of issues related to the RC Women-priests movement. As face-to-face contact is also necessary, all candidates are urged to prepare for ordination or exercise their ordained ministry within the context and safeguard of a collegial Small Faith Community. Actually, it is the community that prayerfully discerns and validates the personal call of the candidate. Also, it is from the community that the candidate is sent forth to be ordained, and it is to the community that the ordained minister returns in order to exercise ministry. This was ritually expressed in the case of Michele Birch-Conery. Our Corpus mid-island community sent her to Gananoque on July 17 to be ordained, and we celebrated the inauguration of her priestly ministry on September 10. She remains a part of our local community and she receives considerable enlightenment and support from it.
A far left objection to the ordination of women or men calls for a radical re-visioning of all ministry: “We don’t need ordained ministry; it just leads to excessive institutionalism.” In this view, all followers of Jesus are called to serve others according to their gifts, and this is what the community of believers should be actively promoting. While this is true and desirable, the present social context within the Church necessitates some organization in order to make that happen. Ordained leadership can provide the environment, inspiration and encouragement to make that happen. We need a ‘both/and’ approach rather than an ‘either/or.’
In conclusion, it seems to me that the women’s ordination movement offers a wonderful opportunity to advance the cause of church renewal, and I was delighted to experience the importance afforded to women’s ministries at the Wiesbaden Congress.
