The Full Circle Faith Community in Coralville held the first sacrament of confirmation in the United States performed by a woman who was ordained by Roman Catholic Womenpriests, an international movement that supports women called to priesthood.
The movement began in Germany with the ordination of seven women on the Danube River in 2002.
Since then, the organization has continued to ordain women throughout the world.
The Roman Catholic Church officially has excommunicated all members of the movement from the church.
Mary Kay Kusner, 52, who has lived in Iowa City with her family for nearly 20 years, is the only Roman Catholic Womenpriest in Iowa and one of about 100 members in the United States.
“To me, what is exciting about (Sunday’s confirmation) is that it is showing young people’s interest in seeing a church of inclusion,” she said. “And these are two young women — and that for me is particularly special because they have felt the spirit in their lives calling. For them to answer this, by being here today and being confirmed, is just such an exciting affirmation of the movement of RCWP.”
The Rev. Rudy Juarez, pastor of St. Patrick Catholic Church, said that Roman Catholic Womenpriests is a heretic organization that is not recognized by the Catholic Church.
“Legitimate Catholics follow the rule of law according to the authority of the Catholic Church,” he said. “They have not done that, so they are not a Catholic group. They have separated themselves from the Catholic Church.”
Juarez said that while they call themselves Roman Catholic priests, they are in no way affiliated with the Catholic Church.
“You can call yourself what you want — I could call myself the king of France, but that doesn’t make me the king of France,” he said.
Kusner acknowledges that she officially has been excommunicated from the Roman Catholic Church but said she doesn’t accept that decision.
“I feel like I am honoring my conscience, which calls me to break an unjust law,” she said. “And the unjust law is that of preventing women to be ordained.”