The Archdiocese of St. Louis and a Jewish Reform congregation are on the same side when it comes to advocating for immigrants and the poor, finding common ground in a zeal for social justice.Both the archdiocese and Central Reform Congregation participate in St. Louis' long-standing interfaith dialogues on critical issues.
But when the synagogue, led by a woman rabbi, offered its sacred space for this weekend's ordination of two Roman Catholic women, it not only drew the ire of church officials and their pledge to never again partner with the congregation.
It underlined how differently the faith communities operate.
The Roman Catholic Church is framed in hierarchy, which sets rules and offers guidance for the faithful. The Jewish tradition has no centralized leadership, and congregations operate autonomously, answering to their own mission statement.
It was precisely that mission which Rabbi Susan Talve and her congregation's board relied on when considering the request of two Roman Catholic women who needed a sacred space for a service not sanctioned by the official church.
Rose Marie Dunn Hudson, 67, of Festus, and Elsie Hainz McGrath, 69, of St. Louis, are set to be ordained Sunday by a former nun as part of Roman Catholic Womenpriests, a worldwide reform movement that began in 2002.
It defies church doctrine that reserves ordination of priests and deacons to men only. The women say it is unjust and discriminatory.
The two women are ignoring the warnings of Archbishop Raymond Burke who this week said they will be excommunicated if they proceed with the ceremony.
Talve was in her office when the women approached her this fall.
"They said they were looking for a sanctuary, and that got my attention," Talve said. "As Isaiah said, we are a house of prayer for all people."
The congregation's board voted unanimously to serve as host, drawing on its core values and principles, which include hospitality and providing sanctuary.
Talve called her friend and colleague, the Rev. Vincent Heier, who directs the archdiocese office for ecumenical and interreligious affairs, to inform him of the decision.
Heier and Burke pressed Talve and the board to withdraw their offer, saying the act would "cause pain" to the church.
"I said to her, 'this is not an acceptable thing. It's not appropriate to invite this group, to aid and abet a group like this, which undercuts our theology and teaching,'" Heier said. "It's akin to us inviting a group that is contrary to Jewish life. She didn't understand.
"She said, 'We're a shelter of peace, that these women do good work and we want to support them,'" Heier added. "I said, 'In welcoming them, you have alienated your Catholic friend.'"
Heier said he and Talve disagree on abortion and gay marriage, "but this is the straw that broke the camel's back."
Talve said she regrets the church is pained by the decision to host the women, but a decision not to would have hurt others. She said hundreds of practicing Catholics have called to thank her for taking a stand.
Heier enlisted the help of the larger Jewish community, but the local Jewish Community Relations Council neither condemned nor affirmed CRC's decision.
In a statement, the council said it regretted any pain the church suffered, but emphasized the autonomy of each congregation.
The larger Jewish community and archdiocese said they won't let the decision stop their interfaith dialogue and efforts.
But the archdiocese clearly has drawn a line with Talve and her congregation.
"This is not a lack of forgiveness, but we have to stand for something," Heier said. "It's a matter of principle."
Rabbi Mark Fasman, president of the St. Louis Rabbinical Association, said the CRC and archdiocese need to work out their disagreement.
But the Catholic church by itself must grapple with the issue of women's ordination. "It's their answer, not ours," he said.
"It's not the intention of the CRC to give that answer for Catholics."
Rosann Catalano, a Roman Catholic scholar and associate director of the Institute for Christian & Jewish Studies in Baltimore, said whether the decision was proper and wise "depends on what your priority is."
"If it's interfaith relations, the answer is probably no," she said. "If it's sanctuary and hospitality, maybe you do that realizing you will have to pay a price."
She said more than 60 percent of Catholics polled say women should be ordained.
"Is it possible the Holy Spirit is speaking through the faithful?" she asked. "I raise the question. Whether this poor congregation will be the catalyst for something else, who knows?" +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
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