Archbishop Burke Excommunicates ‘Priestesses’

From the web site of the Archdiocese of Saint Louis:

Statement Regarding Those Involved in Attempted Ordinations of November 11, 2007

Archbishop Raymond L. Burke has issued the following statement regarding Patricia Fresen, Rose Hudson, and Elsie McGrath:

As Archbishop of St. Louis, it is my responsibility to safeguard the unity of the Catholic Church and protect the souls of the faithful. I have communicated with Ms. Fresen, Ms. Hudson, and Ms. McGrath, and informed them that if they participated in an attempted female ordination, they would be excommunicating themselves from the Catholic Church. In the apostolic letter Ordinatio Sacerdotalis, Pope John Paul II reaffirmed that the Catholic Church has no authority to confer priestly ordination on women. This teaching is to be held definitively by all the faithful as belonging to the deposit of faith. Because they participated in the attempted ordination, Church law requires me to publicly declare the excommunication.

The situation is sad for the whole Church. It is cause of great concern for me as archbishop. Please join me in praying that both will be reconciled with the Church and that the great harm which has been caused to the Church, with the help of God’s grace, will be healed.

Questions and Answers Regarding Excommunication
of Those Involved in Attempted Ordinations

Q. What is the most recent development?

A. Archbishop Burke has declared Ms. Fresen, Ms. McGrath, and Ms. Hudson excommunicated.

Q. What does it mean to be excommunicated?

A. Excommunication is knowingly and willingly placing oneself outside the full communion of the Catholic Church. A person excommunicates himself/herself. When the archbishop declares an excommunication, its purpose is meant to be healing, and a call for the person to reconsider the action and reconcile with the Catholic Church.

Q. Were they given any warning by the archbishop, and, if so, what kind of warning?

A. The archbishop wrote each party asking them to refrain from the attempted female ordination, and invited each three times to meet with him to be reconciled.

Q. What is the Church’s stand on female ordination?

A. In the apostolic letter Ordinatio Sacerdotalis, Pope John Paul II reaffirmed that the Catholic Church has no authority to confer priestly ordination on women. This teaching is to be held definitively by all the faithful as belonging to the deposit of faith. For more information, click here.

Q. Why is the archbishop declaring excommunication of Ms. Fresen when she is in Germany?

A.Ms. Fresen is being excommunicated because she committed her offense here in the Archdiocese of St. Louis and her actions have brought scandal and harm to the faithful of the Archdiocese of St. Louis.