Father Roy Bourgeois, M.M., the Maryknoll priest best known for work to close the School of the Americas (the US-run school that had trained paramilitary forces, primarily from Latin American countries, some of whom carried out brutal murders), has been told in a letter from the Vatican’s Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith that if he does not, within 30 days, recant his support for women’s ordination he will face excommunication.  The Maryknoll priest had preached a homily at the “ordination” of Janice Sevre-Duszynka in August, in Lexington, Kentucky.  Bourgeois received notification from the CDF on Oct. 21, according to a subsequent letter from the priest.

The CDF’s letter says that Bourgeois must recant “belief and public statements that support the ordination of women in our Church, or (he) will be excommunicated.” 

On Nov. 7, Fr. Bourgeois replied in letter to the CDF, saying, in part, “With all due respect, I believe our Catholic Church’s teaching on this issue is wrong and does not stand up to scrutiny. A 1976 report by the Pontifical Biblical Commission supports the research of Scripture scholars, canon lawyers and many faithful Catholics who have studied and pondered the Scriptures and have concluded that there is no justification in the Bible for excluding women from the priesthood.”

The full story, and the full text of his letter, is reported by John Allen at NCR.  H/t to Dave Gibson at Dotcommonweal.

James Martin SJ

The Rev. James Martin, S.J., is a Jesuit priest, author, editor at large at America and founder of Outreach.