Ordination and Celebration of Women Priests

Two weeks have passed since I attended an extraordinary ordination. Yes, three remarkable women felt the call to the priesthood one as early as six years old. This elevation to the Roman Catholic Priesthood took place at the Church of the Covenant in Boston, MA. The ritual included the calling, the presentation, the examination and the election of the candidates for ordination to the priesthood.

Family and friends provided witness to the calling while the candidates were presented in turn one by her husband, another by her daughter and the third by a friend. The election included the laying on and anointing of hands as well as the investiture with stole and chasuble. There were two presiding bishops – one from America and the other from Germany.

I truly never thought I would witness such a powerful ceremony. These three women finally had the support and affirmation to answer their faith and love filled calling. All of the women will serve in the United States outside of Massachusetts.

In the early days of the Church many women bore witness to the Christianity Jesus Christ called them to spread and participated in priesthood as well. In fact the first person Jesus appeared to after His Resurrection was Mary Magdalene. It is no coincidence that the ordination took place on the Sunday closest to her feast day of July 22nd. I felt privileged to be there on the historic moment when three amazing women answered the call to ministry. The celebration was wonderfully heart-felt. May every grace, good wish and God’s blessings be theirs, Amen.