Dear Pope Francis,
Women Priests are already here, and speaking for myself, we love and respect you (for so many reasons including those noted below*). You are courageous and leading our church back to where it began with Jesus and to the simplicity of where it ought to be,standing with the least among us as Jesus did and challenging the religious who have ossified in their beliefs. But we must ask you to consider again your position on women. The Gospel for Sunday, the 4th Sunday in Lent is about Jesus healing the man born blind John 9:1-41). As we accept that we are all sometimes like the religious leaders of the time it is also about our blindness, our blind-spots. Humbly I suggest that as well as you see,and seeing, shed light on us, your blind-spot on women is showing particularly in your recent response to the Amazonian Synod. Below I share a letter from our Roman Catholic Women Priest Bishops world-wide. Please consider it strongly and with your heart.
With Gratitude,
Rev. Dr. Judith Lee, RCWP, Fort Myers, Florida

(The RCWP Bishops Letter follows some of the reasons we hold you in such high esteem. I could not just cut and paste but a link is provided).

*There are so many reasons to love Pope Francis and his teachings. His emphasis on Bishops and Priests and Pastors having the “smell of the sheep” on them, in other words remaining close to their flocks, knowing them, loving them, hearing them, serving WITH them, is a light in darkness for us. Similarly his emphasis on the wealth of the church being its people and serving its people, especially those without means and those on the margins, and not amassing silver and gold shines the light on some of the core values of the church hijacked in ostentatious materialism. His revulsion of the history of sexual abuse and recent “solutions” to this are also so important to the survival of the church. And his recent response to the Amazonian synod is likewise noteworthy, except for his traditional response to women where he keeps us separate in service which is, as we have well learned, never just or equal.)

The following statement by the Roman Catholic Women Priest Bishops serves to challenge Pope Francis to risk more displeasure of some in the Vatican, in the church, of Opus Dei and ultra conservative critics and come aboard with his sister priests who are already serving alongside him and their brother priests.

When you click on this link (line below) a download will appear on your screen, bottom left. You can then open it and read the strong letter from the RCWP Bishops.

RCWP Bishops respond to Quierda Amazonia-r1

Eastern Region Oct. 14, 2018