Dear Blog Visitors:
For those of you who have followed my religious journey
over many years, any type of announcement that points to my no longer being a
Roman Catholic should not be a surprise.
For over twenty years, I have tried to work within the institutional
church for two primary changes in its policies, inclusive of the need for an
inclusive clergy and ending what amounts to sexism.
When I became an ordained married priest, via an ordained
married archbishop and a supportive independent Catholic community, my relationship
with the institutional Roman Catholic Church became somewhat severed. Due to the fact that my ordination was
covered by the international media, the Vatican felt it necessary to respond. Therefore, a Vatican spokesperson simply
stated that my ordination was “valid, but illicit.” In the legal language of the church, this
simply means that since my ordination followed the official Roman rites, and due
to the fact I was ordained by a bishop in apostolic succession, I could be
called a priest, but an illicit status prohibits me from becoming a diocesan
priest, due to the celibacy requirement for such status.
Although I was never formally excommunicated from the
Roman Catholic Church via letter or decree, conservatives within the church
were quick to state that by my actions, I was “latae sententiae.” In the legal language of the church, it
simply means that by my actions (ordination as a married priest in 2006), I
automatically excommunicated myself from the institutional church.
At this juncture, I feel it is important to state that I
have consistently cherished and praised the episcopacy of Bishop Matthew Clark,
who led the Diocese of Rochester for 33 years.
While he could have certainly issued a public condemnation when I was
ordained a married priest in 2006, he did not.
In some dioceses, when either women or married men have been ordained
independently of the Roman institution, they found themselves condemned by
their respective diocesan bishops. Now
that Bishop Clark has retired, it is fair to say that the Vatican will appoint
a replacement with a more conservative mindset.
So, I decided this might be a good time for me to officially take the
exit door.
Whenever anyone asks me what church I currently attend,
the answer I provide probably surprises many.
In brief, I often spend my Sunday mornings in the midst of nature
settings. After all, God is not confined
to church buildings; God is rather amongst us in all of creation. While worshipping with a community has its
advantages, such as having common prayer and similar beliefs, I find I am at
total peace in scenic outdoor surroundings.
In this regard, it is comforting to remind myself that Jesus was not
confined to a building, and felt most comfortable in the wilderness and
traveling from community to community.
If I were to define my current religious status, perhaps
the best description would be an independent Catholic with a Judeo-Christian
background (Judaism on my father’s side of the family, and Catholicism on my
mother’s side). I will continue to
officiate at weddings, via my certification/commissioning from the Federation
of Christian Ministries. However, I have
come to accept the fact that I am no longer a member of the Roman Catholic
community. I have been open to
invitations I have received to explore faith communities within the Episcopal
Church and the United Church of Christ.
These are certainly possibilities I will explore. In the meantime, my Sunday mornings in the
midst of nature settings will continue.
My religious journey has been exciting, faith-driven and
humbling. I look forward to whatever God
has in store for me in my remaining years.
Peace to all,
Ray
Peace to all,
