Excommunicated priest Roy Bourgeois is formally dismissed from Maryknoll order
November 19, 2012
A former Maryknoll priest who was excommunicated in 2008 because of his persistent support for women’s ordination has now been dismissed from the religious order.
The Maryknoll order announced on November 19 that Roy Bourgeois had been dismissed from his religious vows by the Vatican’s Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith. The canonical action came on October 4, more than a year after Bourgeois had been warned by his Maryknoll superiors that he would be dismissed if he did not retract his public support for the ordination of women.
Bourgeois was excommunicated after he participated in a ceremony in which women claimed ordination. He had repeatedly refused to reconsider his stand, and had remained a public advocate of women’s ordination.
The Maryknoll Society, in announcing his dismissal, said that the order “warmly thanks Roy Bourgeois for his service to mission and all members wish him well in his personal life.”
For all current news, visit our News home page.
Further information:
- Maryknoll: Vatican has dismissed Roy Bourgeois from order (National Catholic Reporter)
- Bourgeois faces imminent dismissal from Maryknoll over support of women’s ordination (CWN, 8/9/11)
All comments are moderated. To lighten our editing burden, only current donors are allowed to Sound Off. If you are a current donor, log in to see the comment form; otherwise please support our work, and Sound Off!
-
Posted by: geoffreysmith1 -
Nov. 20, 2012 8:50 AM ET USA
Bourgeois will now return to the oblivion from which he should never have emerged. Who will remember him at the end of this century? Nobody. The mills of God grind slowly, but they grind exceedingly small.
-
Posted by: Don Vicente -
Nov. 19, 2012 11:26 PM ET USA
It is about time for this to happen. Interesting to note that Maryknoll itself did not dismiss Mr. Bourgeois: they announced that the Holy See had done so.
-
Posted by: TheJournalist64 -
Nov. 19, 2012 7:55 PM ET USA
Well bravo. However, Maryknoll is a Missionary Society, not a religious order, as I understand.
-
Posted by: jacquebquique5708 -
Nov. 19, 2012 7:52 PM ET USA
Not all Maryknollers are liberal like Boy Bourbeois and the founder of the Sandinistas in Nicaragua. The Rev. Vincent R. Capodanno was also an MM. He gave his life in Vietnam on Sept 4, 1967, when he was literally "cut in half" while giving the Last Rites to "grunts" under his servitude. Please pray that Fr. C will be considered favorably in the process for sainthood.
