Another Priest Automatically Excommunicated Despite Bishop Olmsted’s Efforts

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*"Fr. Vernon Meyer, automatically excommunicated himself when he rejected the teachings of the Catholic Church concerning women ordination. Meyer participated in the “ordination” of Elaine Groppenbacher in Tempe, AZ last month. For Bishop Thomas J. Olmsted, this is the fifth priestly excommunication for serious refusal of faithful obedience to the Catholic Church, according to The Arizona Republic.

Referring to Meyer, Bishop Olmsted states: “Actions such as these are extremely serious and carry with them profoundly harmful consequences for the salvation of the souls participating in this attempted ordination. To feign the conferral of the Sacrament of Holy Orders results in the penalty of excommunication. This penalty applies both to the person attempting the ordination and the person attempting to be ordained.”…*

God bless Bishop Olmsted for being brave enough to defend the teachings of the Catholic Church.
 
cyb said:
courageouspriest.com/another-priest-automatically-excommunicated-despite-bishop-olmsteds-efforts

"Fr. Vernon Meyer, automatically excommunicated himself when he rejected the teachings of the Catholic Church concerning women ordination. Meyer participated in the “ordination” of Elaine Groppenbacher in Tempe, AZ last month. For Bishop Thomas J. Olmsted, this is the fifth priestly excommunication for serious refusal of faithful obedience to the Catholic Church, according to The Arizona Republic.

Referring to Meyer, Bishop Olmsted states: “Actions such as these are extremely serious and carry with them profoundly harmful consequences for the salvation of the souls participating in this attempted ordination. To feign the conferral of the Sacrament of Holy Orders results in the penalty of excommunication. This penalty applies both to the person attempting the ordination and the person attempting to be ordained.”…

God bless Bishop Olmsted for being brave enough to defend the teachings of the Catholic Church.
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Amen.

But let us still pray for that priest as well.
 
Find his email address so we can send him a letter of support and encouragement!👍
 
cyb said:
God bless Bishop Olmsted for being brave enough to defend the teachings of the Catholic Church.
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Here here.

I hope that Bishop Olmsted continues to follow a true and sensible path; and that these erronious priests are able to see the error of their ways and return fully to the fold; and that those women may also see the error of their ways.
 
The parties (priest, would-be priestess) had to know exactly what they were doing and the consequences that would follow. If anything, this was a simple coordinated publicity stunt ; furthermore, since when could a priest confer Holy Orders ? That is the prerogative of Bishops, not priests, and only demonstrates the childishness of this stunt.

The very best thing to do is ignore entirely such stunts as this. The only possible benefit to such behaviour is the attention and publicity it might attract, and that is most likely what this priest desired, probably for his school enterprise.

Dale_M, who usually keeps up with the news on this forum, generally makes good comments in regards to the content/source. I look forward to seeing what he might have to say about this piece.

Pax,
Tim
 
Since an attempted ordination which is unapproved and invalid, results in automatic excommunication, it doesn’t seem as though Bishop Olmstead actually excommunicated anyone, but merely pointed out the obvious result of their action.

But of course, this is 2010. People like to follow the old Frank Sinatra hymn rather than the Church: “I did it MY way!”
 
JimG said:
Since an attempted ordination which is unapproved and invalid, results in automatic excommunication, it doesn’t seem as though Bishop Olmstead actually excommunicated anyone, but merely pointed out the obvious result of their action.
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Yes, the media likes to portray it as a punishment which is willfully imposed by the big, bad Catholic Church but that isn’t the case. Its simply a matter of the bishop formally acknowledging what they did to themselves.

In response to the “female ordination” ceremony, Bishop Olmsted on September 1st stated that the penalty was excommunication. That should have been enough, but apparently (from the dates in the local newspaper) the Rev. Vernon Meyer received a letter on Sept. 11th which formally told him of his status. Since the Diocese of Phoenix has not issued any statements on the topic for three weeks, I am guessing that Rev. Meyer contacted the reporter with the news. Rev. Meyers delayed opening the letter until he was installed as pastor of Sun Lakes United Church of Christ.
JimG said:
But of course, this is 2010. People like to follow the old Frank Sinatra hymn rather than the Church: “I did it MY way!”
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Its one of the most popular songs to play at a funeral.
 
JimG said:
Since an attempted ordination which is unapproved and invalid, results in automatic excommunication, it doesn’t seem as though Bishop Olmstead actually excommunicated anyone, but merely pointed out the obvious result of their action.
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I thought that was how it worked. Kinda like an annulment. Is this correct?
 
Dale_M said:
Yes, the media likes to portray it as a punishment which is willfully imposed by the big, bad Catholic Church but that isn’t the case. Its simply a matter of the bishop formally acknowledging what they did to themselves.

In response to the “female ordination” ceremony, Bishop Olmsted on September 1st stated that the penalty was excommunication. That should have been enough, but apparently (from the dates in the local newspaper) the Rev. Vernon Meyer received a letter on Sept. 11th which formally told him of his status. Since the Diocese of Phoenix has not issued any statements on the topic for three weeks, I am guessing that Rev. Meyer contacted the reporter with the news. Rev. Meyers delayed opening the letter until he was installed as pastor of Sun Lakes United Church of Christ.

Its one of the most popular songs to play at a funeral.
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I agree Rev. Meyer “did it to himself.”😦

It could also be that he knew perfectly well this meant automatic excommunication and he did it anyway to make a “political point.”

Now he can bill himself as a “Martyr” to the cause of Women’s Ordination. :rolleyes:
 
mark_a said:
I thought that was how it worked. Kinda like an annulment. Is this correct?
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Well, a declaration of nullity (i.e., an annulment), does require a formal statement after investigation by the marriage tribunal. It is not, to my knowledge, ever automatic, although there are some instances in which the plain facts of the case make the decision all but a foregone conclusion.

Some excommunications are “automatic” in the sense that the action done results in excommunication whether any Church authority takes any action or not. But it can also be formal, done through a declaration.

Apparently the bishop in this case wanted to make certain that the parties involved were fully aware of the excommunication, even though it was incurred automatically.
 
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