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del.icio.us Digg It!  new Last update - 02:22 03/12/2007 U.S. synagogue ties with 'women priests' draws ire of Catholics By The Associated Press Tags: U.S. Jewry, Catholic church  The Catholic Archdiocese of St. Louis and a Jewish Reform congregation are on the same side when it comes to advocating for immigrants and the poor, often finding common ground in a zeal for social justice. But when the Central Reform Congregation offered its synagogue for Sunday's ordination of two women in a ceremony disavowed by the Roman Catholic church, it drew the ire of church officials and a pledge to never again partner with the congregation. Two women who profess to be Roman Catholic - Rose Marie Dunn Hudson, 67, of Festus, and Elsie Hainz McGrath, 69, of St. Louis - are to be ordained by a former nun as part of Roman Catholic Womenpriests, a small movement that began in 2002 independently from the Roman Catholic Church. Advertisement The Reform congregation's rabbi, Susan Talve, informed her friend and colleague, the Rev. Vincent Heier, who directs the archdiocese office for ecumenical and interreligious affairs, of the decision. Heier told her it was unacceptable. "It's not appropriate to invite this group, to aid and abet a group like this, which undercuts our theology and teaching," Heier said he told Talve. 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 that Talve and her congregation's board relied on when considering the request of the two members of Roman Catholic Womenpriests. But the ceremony defies Catholic 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. Of the roughly 100 women who have been ordained as priests or deacons worldwide in the Womenpriests movement, including 37 in the U.S., only the first seven were officially excommunicated by the Vatican, said spokeswoman Bridget Mary Meehan. Others have received letters from their bishop like that sent by Burke, she said. 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. Heier and Burke pressed Talve and the board to withdraw their offer, saying the act would cause pain to the church. "It's akin to us inviting a group that is contrary to Jewish life," Heier said. "She didn't understand." 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. Members of the larger Jewish community and archdiocese said they would not 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, he said. 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." Catalano said many Catholics believe women should be ordained. Indeed, a 2005 Associated Press-Ipsos poll conducted after the death of John Paul II found that 64 percent of Catholics polled believed the next pope should allow women to be ordained as priests. "Is it possible the Holy Spirit is speaking through the faithful?" she asked. "I raise the question.' More Jewish World news and features Bookmark to del.icio.us Big heart The organs of an IDF soldier were donated to five people in Israel and Germany. Settler harassment Palestinians in the West Bank said settlers threw stones at a boy and stole his donkey.   1.   What are Jews doing meddling into Catholic affairs? 08:38  |  Genuine Tosefta 10/11/07   2.   consult first, then act 09:12  |  dave s. 10/11/07   3.   The Church meddles in Jewish affairs to our detriment 11:07  |  David Teich 10/11/07   4.   New friends - good bedfellows 14:34  |  Shekinah 10/11/07   5.   Religious Discrimination = ALL Religions 15:16  |  POP 10/11/07   6.   david teich 3 15:52  |  realism 10/11/07   7.   marriage?? 16:49  |  ROB OF MELBOURNE AUS 10/11/07   8.   #3 History is lacking 17:42  |  Phillip 10/11/07   9.   Interesting!!!!! 18:07  |  Edith 10/11/07   10.   I think it is natural that in some parts of.. 18:14  |  Edith 10/11/07   11.   It`s part of the Catholic Faith 18:18  |  Catholic Guy 10/11/07   12.   rob of melbourne 7 18:36  |  realism 10/11/07   13.   I admire the synagogue 18:40  |  Steve 10/11/07   14.   Jews never miss an opportunity to piss off a faith or people 19:28  |  Sam 10/11/07   15.   Steve - Just recently jews wanted the church to change 19:34  |  Bob 10/11/07   16.   Not all Catholics! 19:36  |  English Resident 10/11/07   17.   Sanctuary? 19:51  |  Joseph 10/11/07   18.   Reform: How far wil it go? 19:55  |  Sherlock Holmes 10/11/07   19.   Is this a Purim joke? 19:58  |  Ben Azai 10/11/07   20.   Bored with Judaism & Catholicism 21:13  |  Nathaniel 10/11/07   21.   man made law 21:31  |  tobia 10/11/07   22.   English Residents: Catholicism is not based on consensus 21:36  |  American Catholic 10/11/07   23.   Missing the Point 22:38  |  Karen 10/11/07   24.   Response to Sherlock 22:57  |  Karen 10/11/07   25.   Reply to Karen in Toronto 00:36  |  Sherlock Holmes 11/11/07   26.   Response to Sherlock 00:44  |  Dave 11/11/07   27.   #1 NOT MEDDLING - HELPING OTHERS RELIGIOUS FREEDOMS 00:45  |  B`Galil 11/11/07   28.   Nathaniel: You are so right, very funny 01:11  |  Me 11/11/07   29.   Response to Sherlock 01:28  |  Karen 11/11/07   30.   David Teich you missed the irony in my post 03:58  |  Genuine Tosefta 11/11/07   31.   #27 The gist of my post is exactly the opposite you understand 04:04  |  Genuine Tosefta 11/11/07   32.   American Reform hubris amounts to harmful Chutzpah. 04:23  |  Fortuna Benmayor 11/11/07   33.   Fortuna Benmayor # 32 08:58  |  Philippe 11/11/07   34.   Sherlock - They go all the way 12:17  |  Shekinah 11/11/07   35.   Priests focus on little boys 12:26  |  Ikabod 11/11/07   36.   Karen 12:36  |  Shekinah 11/11/07   37.   GO GIRLS GO 16:25  |  Jay A Friedman 11/11/07   38.   missing the point 17:01  |  Mohamed 11/11/07   39.   Catholocism was created for Europe anyway 17:35  |  Mohamed 11/11/07   40.   Ignorance is the real reason 17:43  |  Daniel 11/11/07   41.   Mohammed: No it was based on Judaim 18:15  |  Man 11/11/07   42.   Response to Shekinah 18:42  |  Karen 11/11/07   43.   Response to Daniel 19:00  |  Karen 11/11/07   44.   Sprititual Leadership 19:29  |  Harold 11/11/07   45.   To Ikabod. 22:27  |  Angel 11/11/07   46.   Faith vs.Institution 02:23  |  Jim 12/11/07   47.   Tradition 02:41  |  Jim 12/11/07   48.   irony of this 03:00  |  Simcha 12/11/07   49.   Daniel: The same logic applies to the Church 03:27  |  I agree 12/11/07   50.   to David Teich 03:46  |  Justine 12/11/07   51.   This is a mockery 04:01  |  Justine 12/11/07   52.   6: Surrealism gets confused yet again 14:56  |  David Teich 12/11/07   53.   50: Justine, study my child 14:59  |  David Teich 12/11/07   54.   Holy Priests !!! 17:40  |  Ikabod 12/11/07   55.   Karen # 2 07:46  |  Shekinah 13/11/07   56.   total stupidity 00:57  |  Jewish State 14/11/07   57.   to David Teich 01:53  |  Justine 14/11/07   58.   to David 02:34  |  Justine 14/11/07   59.   Justine compounds her errors 15:13  |  David Teich 14/11/07   60.   to David 02:54  |  Justine 15/11/07

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