Will donate to first Catholic church to ordain women

Catholic New Times, July 4, 2004 by Sheila Casey-Houston

I have in my hand a request for a donation to the Companions of the Cross. I would like to donate, because I see a great need for more priests here in Canada and worldwide. But I must respond to this letter.

A decline of nearly 50 per cent in priests is indeed cause for concern. Parishes are closing not only as a result of fewer priests but also due to lower attendance on the part of Catholics

Like you, I am convinced of the presence of the Spirit, especially in times of crisis. I am also convinced that the Holy Spirit renews the face of the earth and the church in every age The challenges call for renewal of our values in a world where conflict and unrest are centered on differences of race, colour, gender and religion.

Vatican II calls the church a pilgrim church and we must be ever evolving to stay alive. Youth must see the church as honest and relevant to their life experiences.

One initiative would be to use inclusive language in prayer and reference to God. Our children must learn in infancy that God is neither male nor female and that we are all created in God's image. As a church, we must begin to focus on the inclusiveness of Jesus, "for in Christ Jesus you are all children of God though faith. As many of you as were baptized into Christ have clothed yourself with Christ. There is no longer male or female; for all of you are one in Christ Jesus." (Galatians 3:26-28)

These small steps are essential if as church we are to survive. We cannot talk about the justice of Jesus and our need to emulate it through our social justice and development and peace programs while at the same time we deny the equality of all God's children in church structure itself. Equality must be experienced at all levels of church including ordination.

Therefore, I will commit my donation to the first Canadian Diocese that ordains a woman to priesthood in a new inclusive Catholic Church.

Sheila Casey-Houston,

St. Stephen, N.B.