Excommunication for US Maryknoll: likely, but not yet

December 18, 2008

An official at the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith (CDF) has confirmed that Father Ray Bourgeois will be excommunicated if the Maryknoll priest does not recant his stand in favor of women's ordination. The official-- who was not identified in the CNA story-- indicated that the CDF is still in correspondence with Father Bourgeois, but said that the American cleric's public release of a recent message was "a sad piece of propaganda," demonstrating that Bourgeois is unlikely to submit to Church authority. Earlier this month a report suggested that the excommunication had already taken place.

 

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Further information:

• Excommunication of Fr. Bourgeois will ‘certainly take place,’ Vatican official says (CNA)
• American Maryknoll priest excommunicated for involvement in women's 'ordination' (CWN, Dec 11)