Wednesday 17 August was ‘the’ day for Fr Roy Bourgeois to recant from his support of women’s ordination.
All he has to say to avoid dismissal from the Maryknoll Fathers are the two words “I recant,” however doing so means he will not be true to himself.
“Wednesday is the day,” Father Bourgeois said in a conversation with the Register on Aug. 16. “I poked the beehive of the patriarchy, and those bees got very upset with me. I am in very serious trouble. Yes, we have to obey our leaders. But above that is loyalty to conscience, and conscience is very important to God.”
Despite sleepless nights, there is no change Bourgeois will recant.
The second letter of canonical warning was sent to Bourgeois on July 27. The letter written by Maryknoll Superior General, Fr Edward Dougherty, warned him of his pending dismissal should he not recant from his public rejection of the teaching authority of the Church.
“As it gets closer, I realize that conscience has consequences,” Father Bourgeois said. “I am experiencing very deep sadness. I am hurt and disappointed. The coldness of the letter is very painful.”
The Maryknoll order has been Bourgeois’ family since he joined it before becoming a priest in 1972.
“When the final letter comes, telling me I’m no longer a member of the order, it is going to be really hard,” Bourgeois said.
“I am preparing, but it’s like preparing for the death of a loved one. When the day finally comes, the reality sets in, and it is always worse than you anticipated.”
Bourgeois and his position are not lacking support.
A July 21 letter to Maryknoll superiors bears the signature of 157 priests who claim they are “in good standing with the Roman Catholic Church.” The letter asks the superiors to respect the right of Father Bourgeois “to speak from his conscience.”
Their representation is unlikely to carry much sway.
There’s little doubt, even from among his supporters that Bourgeois has disobeyed Church teachings.
Supporters however question the teachings with emotional and practical concerns.
“For 77 years I have been a nun because they won’t let me be a priest,” said Sister Rose Margaret Noonan, 93, of the Sisters of St. Joseph of Carondelet. “I have said my whole life that women should be priests, but nobody listens to me.”
Father Bourgeois, she said, listened to her and fought for her cause.
“In every way he is a good priest and a wonderful person,” Sister Rose Margaret said. “I feel badly for him. But he has such a wonderful faith that I know he will get through this.”
Should Bourgeois receive his official letter dismissing him from the Maryknoll order, his next challenge will involve fighting the Vatican’s plan to formally remove him from the priesthood.
Bourgeois intends to fight the process of laicisation too and has retained church lawyer, Dominican Father Thomas Doyle to represent him at the Vatican.
Sources