Anyone who attempts ordination of a woman, including the woman herself, incurs automatic excommunication, by that act:
Translated text of the Decree of May 29, 2008:
Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith
General Decree
Regarding the crime of attempting sacred ordination of a woman
The Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith, to protect the nature and validity of the sacrament of holy orders, in virtue of the special faculty conferred to it by the supreme authority of the Church (see canon 30, Canon Law), in the Ordinary Session of December 19, 2007, has decreed:
Remaining firm on what has been established by canon 1378 of the Canon Law, both he who has attempted to confer holy orders on a woman, and the woman who has attempted to receive the said sacrament, incurs in* latae sententiae* excommunication, reserved to the Apostolic See.
If he who has attempted to confer holy orders on a woman or if the woman who has attempted to receive holy orders, is a member of the faithful subject to the Code of Canon Law for the Eastern Churches, remaining firm on what has been established by canon 1443 of the same Code, they will be punished with major excommunication, whose remission remains reserved to the Apostolic See (see canon 1423, Canon Law of the Eastern Churches).
The current decree will come into immediate force from the moment of publication in the âOsservatore Romanoâ and is absolute and universal.
William Cardinal Levada
Prefect
Angelo Amato, S.D.B.
Titular Archbishop of Sila
Secretary
This quote from the main page of the web site of the group that calls itself âRoman Catholicâ Womenpriests, in spite of their open and purposeful break with the authority and teachings of the Roman Pontiff, will give you an idea of how out of touch with reality and any concept of true respect for other religions this group is (see
romancatholicwomenpriests.org)
**Response Regarding Excommunication Decree **
Roman Catholic Womenpriests reject the penalty of excommunication issued by the Vatican Congregation for the Doctrine of Faith on May 29, 2008
stating that the âwomen priests and the bishops who ordain them would be excommunicated latae sententiae.â
Roman Catholic Womenpriests are loyal members of the church who stand in the prophetic tradition of holy obedience to the Spiritâs call
to change an unjust law that discriminates against women.
Our movement is receiving enthusiastic responses on the local, national and international level.
We will continue to serve our beloved church in a renewed priestly ministry that welcomes all to celebrate the sacraments
in inclusive, Christ-centered, Spirit-empowered communities wherever we are called.
This is what Archbishop John Vlazny had to say on the matter. In short, he first opted to remain silent on the matter, out of respect for what he would define as the religious exercises of another religion, but finally had to speak out when the group continued to misrepresent themselves as belonging to the Catholic Church,
when by reason of their attempt to ordain of women they have, by definition, chosen to leave the Church:
On Friday, Aug. 17, the Oregonian reported on a religious ceremony at Zion United Church of Christ in Gresham which was described as a Roman Catholic âordination.â According to the report, we now have the first woman Roman Catholic priest in Oregon.
Most readers, hopefully, were somewhat suspicious about the event when they learned it did not take place in a Catholic church. Out of respect for those involved in the ceremony, I had decided to make no public statement. The Oregonian also said nothing for three weeks.
My main purpose in speaking up now is to assure you that there was no ordination of a Roman Catholic priest at Zion United Church of Christ in Gresham on July 28. Even though Catholics were involved, the claim that it was a Catholic ceremony is wrong but, hopefully, not intentionally disrespectful of a sacrament which we Catholics regard as a precious treasure, one for which we are called to exercise reverent and faithful stewardship.
Our relationships with other churches are sometimes fragile because of differences in beliefs and values. But in all ecumenical relationships Christian churches do their best to respect the diversity in practices and beliefs. I regret the apparent disregard for this understanding.
Any person who claims to have been ordained a Catholic bishop, priest or deacon without the proper authorization from church authorities not only is making a false representation of the facts but also by such an act leaves our church community. We are always saddened when sisters and brothers walk away from us, particularly in this manner. We continue to work and pray for unity in the essentials of our Christian faith and for charity and mutual respect in circumstances where we disagree.
Do not get me wrong. If Rome did teach that such a thing was possible, and if Rome gave permission, I would submit to Rome. The thing is:
that is never going to happen. It is impossible. The sooner the adherents of this new religion get this through their heads, and decide which religion they belong to, the better.
As it is, they are not the first ones to make false representations about the Church from within the Church, nor the first to be excommunicated for doing so. As the Archbishop wrote, that is always a sad thing, but it does happen.
Maybe they will come back. If Rome did not stand firm, though, there would be no âthereâ to come back to.
) when I happened upon these:
