In response to the decree handed down by the Vatican of the Roman Catholic Church, the Congregation of Bishops of the North American Old Catholic Church issued the following statement:“We are saddened, but not surprised by the recent statement from the Roman Catholic Church,” said Archbishop Michael Seneco, presiding bishop of the church.
“The Roman Catholic Church has a 2,100 year history of the systematic abuse and subjugation of women to a lower, second class status, so this fits in with their long standing modus operandi.”
The Archbishop continued, “The North American Old Catholic Church is just one of the many non-roman Catholic churches throughout the world that not only welcomes, but strongly embraces and encourages women to answer the call given to them by God. The call to be ministers of the Gospel and the Altar is a very strong and powerful experience, and the church needs to be a place where all can answer that call. This church will continue to be a place that embraces our sisters, and we will continue to ordain women to the diaconate, priesthood, and to the episcopacy.”
“Considering the Roman Catholic Church does not currently ordain women, I must wonder exactly whom they are trying to bully with this general decree?” commented Father Hal Barkley, OCSJ. theologian in the church.
“Are we to expect that the Roman Catholic Church will issue decrees of excommunications to Anglican and Old Catholic Church bishops and female clergy? Someone really should tell the Vatican that we have already ‘left the building’ and their excommunication decrees won’t stop us from spreading the truth of the Gospel of Christ by utilizing all the tools He has provided for us.”
The body of clergy of The North American Catholic Church currently has one female bishop, four female priests, two female deacons, and three female seminarians, accounting for ¼ of the entire body of clergy of the church.
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