Women Catholic Priests Gather to Speak about Ordination

May 3, 2003

Source: The Associated Press

http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&cid=519&ncid=519&e=45&u=/ap/20030503/ap_on_re_us/female_priests_2

On May 3, 2003 The Associated Press reported that "the Rev. Judith Heffernan doesn't let herself worry about whether celebrating Mass will mean getting excommunicated... Papal rulings to the contrary, Heffernan has performed baptisms, heard confessions, celebrated Mass and participated in last rites as a Catholic priest for 23 years, since a Jesuit priest ordained her before her church, the Community of the Christian Spirit in Philadelphia... Heffernan was one of several women priests who gathered Saturday to talk about their unauthorized ordinations at a gathering sponsored by the Southeastern Pennsylvania Women's Ordination Conference. About 200 people attended... Catherine Rossi, a spokeswoman for the Archdiocese of Philadelphia, declined to comment on whether the archdiocese would take any action concerning the meeting."