STATEMENT ON THE PLANNED JULY 31ST 2006 CEREMONY

PITTSBURGH – According to an organization called “Roman Catholic Womenpriests” a ceremony will take place on the rivers of Pittsburgh on July 31, 2006 that is represented to be an “ordination” to the priesthood. The following is issued out of concern for those who present themselves for such an invalid ritual, those who conduct it, and those who participate as witnesses since their actions will place them outside the Church.

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“The cup of blessing that we bless, is it not participation in the blood of Christ? The bread that we break, is it not participation in the body of Christ? Because there is one bread, we who are many are one body, for we all partake of the one bread” – (1 Corinthians 10: 16-17).

The center of Catholic life and worship is the celebration of the Eucharist, the “one bread” where “we who are many are one body.” The Eucharist is the living presence of Christ in His Church, and is the deepest sign of our faith and unity of belief.

By his sacrifice on the cross, Christ is the unique high priest, the mediator between God and humanity. This priesthood of Christ is made present in our lives through the priesthood, which serves as an “icon” – or representative – of Christ in the world.

The call to the ministerial priesthood comes from God and is authenticated by the Church, not by any individual. Holy Orders is a gift that those called do not earn, deserve, or have as a right. The call to ordination is received unmerited through the grace of God.

Holy Orders is the sacrament through which the mission entrusted by Christ to his apostles continues to be exercised in the Church until the end of time. It is the sacrament of apostolic ministry and it is through the bishops, the successors of the apostles, that this gift of God is passed on from generation to generation through ordination.

“(The Catholic Church) holds that it is not admissible to ordain women to the priesthood for very fundamental reasons. These reasons include: the example recorded in Sacred Scripture of Christ choosing his Apostles only from among men; the constant practice of the Church, which imitated Christ in choosing only men; and her living teaching authority which has consistently held that the exclusion of women from the priesthood is in accordance with God’s plan for his Church” (Pope Paul VI, 1977)

As apostolic succession represents the living presence of the apostles in the Church until Christ’s return, and the priest serves as an icon or representative of Christ’s sacramental presence in the Church, the Church must conform to the delegation made by the Lord.

The ordination of males to the priesthood is not merely a matter of practice or discipline within the Church. Rather, the Church has determined that this is part of the Deposit of Faith handed down by Christ through his apostles. The Church is therefore bound by it and not free to change in this regard.

“In calling only men as his Apostles, Christ acted in a completely free and sovereign manner. In doing so, he exercised the same freedom with which, in all his behavior, he emphasized the dignity and the vocation of women, without conforming to the prevailing customs and to the traditions sanctioned by the legislation of the time” – Pope John Paul II

Ordination to the priesthood must be conferred by an ordained bishop on a baptized man. A candidate must receive the blessing of the Church, which has the authority and responsibility to determine if a true call to the priesthood exists.

Just as a priest cannot consecrate the Eucharist if he uses something other than unleavened wheat bread and wine from grapes, so too a bishop cannot confer Holy Orders on anyone other than a baptized man. Because the sacrament of Holy Orders can only be received by a baptized man, no sacramental ordination took place for the women now claiming to be ordained bishops. Nor have the women who are alleged to be ordained at the upcoming event been accepted by the Church as they do not meet essential criteria for the ordained priesthood as found in the Deposit of Faith.

“Take care, then, to have only one Eucharist. For there is one flesh of Our Lord Jesus Christ, and one cup to show forth the unity of his blood; one altar, as there is one bishop, along with the priests and deacons, my fellow servants. All this is so, so that, whatever you do, you may do it according to the will of God.” – St. Ignatius of Antioch (d. 107 AD).

This unfortunate ceremony will take place outside the Church and undermines the unity of the Church. Those attempting to confer Holy Orders have, by their own actions, removed themselves from the Church, as have those who present themselves for such an invalid ritual. Additionally, those who by their presence give witness and encouragement to this fundamental break with the unity of the People of God place themselves outside the Church.

This separation is not a discipline, judgment or mandate of the Church. Nor is it the result of opinion or advocacy of a theological view by those involved. Rather, by conducting and taking part in such a ceremony, it is the choice of the participants to place themselves outside the community of believers.

The Catholic Church is prepared and eager to welcome back those who separate themselves from the community. Catholics in the Diocese of Pittsburgh are called to pray that those who involve themselves in this upcoming ceremony will reconcile with the Church and return to unity with the Body of Christ.