Female Bishop Welcomes Catholic Controversy

SARASOTA | A former nun who the Vatican says has been excommunicated ordained two female priests and one deacon in Sarasota, part of a growing and controversial movement claiming to be an offshoot of the Catholic church.

The ordinations were the first in Florida by the group known as Roman Catholic Womenpriests, which preaches equality for women by allowing them into the priesthood and plays down allegiance to the pope.

The official Catholic church calls the movement and the ordinations illegitimate, and the local diocese sent letters to parishes saying any Catholics who support the ordination of women by attending the ceremony will be automatically excommunicated - a banishment from participating in church sacraments such as baptism and communion until forgiveness is given by a priest.

"Good!" said Bridget Mary Meehan, the former nun who performed the ordinations and is one of five bishops in the national movement. "They're upping the ante. People will have to be courageous to support us and that is what this is about. Like our sister, Rosa Parks, we refuse to sit on the back of the bus any longer."

Bishop Frank J. Dewane, leader of the Diocese of Venice, which includes Sarasota, refused through a spokesman to be interviewed about the ordinations. The diocese said its warning that any Catholic attending the ceremony will be excommunicated follows orders set forth from Rome.

The Catholic Church's position is that women cannot be priests because it says that Jesus chose men as disciples, and because the priest is meant to be an icon for Jesus, he needs to be male.