My World of Religion, Politics, Entertainment and Social Issues

Dear Blog Visitors: I want to take this opportunity to wish Scott Caton well as he prepares for his ordination to the priesthood in 2011. In preparation for his ordination, he will be serving in the transitional diaconate at Blessed Sacrament Church in Rochester. What makes this particular ordination unusual is that Scott is a former Protestant minister who converted to Catholicism, and he is married with six children. I want to be sincere with my welcome to him, because after all, he may help to prove a point I have been trying to make for over twenty years - namely, that Holy Orders and Marriage are entirely complementary. On the negative side, Scott's admission to the Roman Catholic priesthood highlights a double-standard that is operative in the church. In brief, if a married Protestant minister converts to Catholicism, he is allowed to become a Catholic priest if Vatican approval is granted. If, on the other hand, a married Catholic seeks Holy Orders, he faces condemnation...

Dear Blog Visitors: I continue to pray for the day when men and women members of the clergy will serve side-by-side in all religious denominations. This, of course, includes the Roman Catholic Church, which continues to insist that its priests be male and celibate. Rochester, New York is indeed blessed to be the host city for many religious events at which male and female members of the clergy celebrate together for common causes. In the two photos above, taken by David Lewis, an inclusive clergy is gathered (including yours truly) for the ordination of five Catholic women to the priesthood. While a Vatican spokesperson will often issue a negative comment concerning such an event as the ordination of women, there was notable silence on this particular occasion. My sense is that even the Vatican has come to realize that women are answering their calls to ordination with increased frequency and nothing will stop the will of the Holy Spirit. At a time when parish closures are commonpl...

Dear Blog Visitors: As I move closer to retirement from my secular job (Accounts Payable Supervisor for the City of Rochester), the number one question I am constantly asked is: "What are you going to do in retirement?" A corresponding question I am often asked is: "Are you going to start your own church?" Starting a church is a daunting task for anyone who is called to active ministry, so I don't realistically see myself doing that. If, on the other hand, a faith community calls me forth, I will certainly enter into a dialogue to see if there is a potential meeting of the minds and spirit. At present, I am not leading a faith community. In fact, there are some Sundays I am so exhausted from my secular job, that I simply find the need for solitude. (After racing against the clock the rest of the week, I occasionally need a Sunday to recharge my batteries.) When I do attend liturgies, it can either be at a diocesan parish, Spiritus Christi Church, or any num...

Dear Blog Visitors: I am filled with joy today because I took part in the ordination of five women in Rochester. The two newly ordained priests are Chava Redonnet and Theresa Novak Chabot, and the three newly ordained deacons are Caryl Johnson, Patti LaRosa and Ann Penick. Chava Redonnet will be serving the Rochester community and the others will serve in their respective cities/communities. I want to thank Spiritus Christi Church for allowing RCWP (Roman Catholic Women Priests) to use their worship space for today's ordinations. It was also very generous of Rev. Jim Callan to host several out-of-town guests in his home for a couple days. I also want to thank the many musicians from Spiritus Christi who enriched the ordination liturgy. The presiding bishop for today's ordinations was Andrea Johnson. (I have known Andrea for several years as a result of conferences we have attended that dealt with inclusive ministry.) Andrea did a spectacular job as presider of a three-hou...