Bourgeois supporters vigil outside cathedrals across nation

by Joshua J. McElwee

News Editor

View Author Profile

jmcelwee@ncronline.org

Join the Conversation

Send your thoughts to Letters to the Editor. Learn more

Supporters of Maryknoll Fr. Roy Bourgeois have been hosting vigils at Masses across the country this week, standing outside churches and cathedrals with signs backing the embattled priest.

Bourgeois, a longtime peace activist, has been threatened with dismissal from the Maryknoll Fathers and Brothers and laicization by the Vatican for his support of women's ordination.

In a press release Tuesday, Call to Action described the vigils as a way to also show support for "women priests in the Catholic Church."

"As millions of Catholics across the country attend services this Holy Week, the majority of those attending are women, but not one priest leading the services will be a woman," said Jim FitzGerald, the group's executive director.

"It is deeply unjust that while women make up the majority of Catholic Church membership today, they are still forbidden to share their ministerial talents in the role of priest."

Below is a slideshow of photos provided by Call to Action of Bourgeois supporters attending vigils in Los Angeles, Calif.; Savannah, Ga.; Venice, Fla.; Chicago, Ill.; and Madison, Wisc.

Latest News

crucifix

Before the cross, we do not explain. We tremble.

At top, Sr. Ngan Nguyen, left, and Sr. Mung Nguyen, right, with children at Muong Cat Church in August 2024; at bottom,  construction of a girls’ dormitory by the Lovers of the Holy Cross is pictured March 10 in the Lac Son district of Hoa Binh province of Hanoi, Vietnam. (Top photo courtesy of Sr. Mung Nguyen; bottom photo by Mung Nguyen)

Lovers of the Holy Cross in Vietnam support ethnic Muong children's education

Preparations underway for making the Grosso family pesto recipe, which they traditionally serve on Good Friday (NCR photo/John Grosso)

NCR recipes for Lent: Pesto

Ruins of the ancient city of Ephesus in 2024, in modern-day Turkey (GSR photo/Gail DeGeorge)

Lasting lessons on life and death from a pilgrimage for the heart

Advertisement

1x per dayDaily Newsletters
1x per weekWeekly Newsletters
2x WeeklyBiweekly Newsletters
CAPTCHA
5 + 5 =
Solve this simple math problem and enter the result. E.g. for 1+3, enter 4.
This question is for testing whether or not you are a human visitor and to prevent automated spam submissions.