A Maryknoll statement said Roy Bourgeois, 74, had been canonically dismissed by the Vatican's Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith for "disobedience and preaching against the teaching of the Catholic Church about women's ordination".

"As a priest in 2008," the statement said, "Mr Bourgeois participated in the invalid ordination of a woman and a simulated Mass in Lexington, Kentucky.

"With patience, the Holy See and the Maryknoll Society have encouraged his reconciliation with the Catholic Church. Instead, Mr Bourgeois chose to campaign against the teachings of the Catholic Church in secular and non-Catholic venues."

Following his participation in the invalid ordination of Janice Sevre-Duszynska in 2008, Bourgeois was notified by the Vatican congregation that he had incurred automatic excommunication.

Subsequently Maryknoll asked Bourgeois to publicly recant his support of women's ordination, telling him in March last year that he faced laicisation and removal from the order if he did not comply. In a series of letters and interviews since then, Bourgeois said he could not comply with the request.

In a statement released by the Women's Ordination Conference, Bourgeois said "the exclusion of women from the priesthood is a grave injustice against women, our church and our loving God, who calls both men and women to be priests".

Canon lawyers quoted by the National Catholic Reporter said it was ambiguous under what authority the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith was able to dismiss Bourgeois.

They questioned why his dismissal came from the doctrinal congregation and not from the Vatican congregation that deals with religious orders.

Oblate Father Francis Morrisey, a professor of canon law at Ottawa's Catholic University of Saint Paul, said the doctrinal congregation might have become involved because of a norm the Vatican approved in 2010 that called the ordination of a woman a "grave delict" and left judgment on such matters to the doctrinal congregation.

Sources

National Catholic Reporter

Catholic News Service

National Catholic Reporter

Image: National Catholic Reporter

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

• NCR
• CathNews
• Image: NCR

"I cannot do it," said Father Bourgeois, 72. "Rome wants two words from me to make this go away: 'I recant.' Those words I cannot say. They are asking me to lie, by saying that I think God does not call women to the priesthood. I believe in my heart that he does."

Bourgeois was excommunicated in August 2008 when he preached at an ordination ceremony organised by "Roman Catholic Womenpriests."

In March this year, following the request of Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith, the Maryknoll superiors said if Bourgeois didn't recant they would seek his formal removal from the order and laicisation.

"Sufficient time has now passed for you to consider the gravity of the matter," the canonical warning said. "You are hereby asked one final time by the superior general and his council to publicly recant and accept the teaching of the Church on this serious matter concerning priestly ordination and the explicit teaching of the Church."

Because he refuses to renounce his support for allowing women to become priests, he will lose his membership in the Maryknoll Fathers and Brothers and in the priesthood itself.

Father Bourgeois has been a popular member of the Maryknoll Fathers for 44 years and a priest for 38. He is known as a peace activist, who first contemplated the priesthood after suffering a near-fatal injury as a Marine on the battlefield in Vietnam.

"He has done many good works, and we all like him and consider him a brother," said Maryknoll spokesman Mike Virgintino.

In a statement, Roman Catholic Womenpriests, urged "all people of good will to stand behind Father Roy Bourgeois, a true champion of peace and justice, who refused to be cowed by men who support an unjust law that knowingly and persistently discriminates against half of the Body of Christ."

Sources

• NCR Online
• Catholic Culture
• California Catholic Daily
• USA Today
• CathNews America
• Image: Roy Bourgeois