As expected, Liberals in the media are angry over Janine Denomme's excommunication and the Catholic Church's refusal to allow Denomme a Catholic funeral.An article on the Huffington Post claims that Denomme was ordained a priest in April by a group called Roman Catholic Womenpriests. That's wrong, of course. The Roman Catholic Church does not recognize the "ordination" of women. Catholic women who pursue ordination excommunicate themselves from the Church. Denomme was aware of this but, she had "'always wanted to be a priest,' and decided to be ordained anyway."
For the life of me, I cannot understand the logic of the women who decide to call themselves Roman Catholic priests. Each one knows that Church teaching forbids the ordination of women and of course, each one disagrees with this teaching....each one believes the Church is in error. Why, then, do they wish to remain in the Church? I cannot understand why anyone would call themselves Catholic if they do not believe what the Church teaches - not just on the ordination of women but on the question of abortion or birth control or a variety of other issues. Can you imagine the reaction towards someone who wished to be called Jewish or Muslim though all the while insisting that Jesus Christ was the Son of God? Given her views on women in the priesthood, it would have seemed logical and consistent for Denomme to leave the Catholic Church and convert to the Episcopal church as Episcopal Bishop Diane Jardine Bruce did in 1986.
Prior to her illicit ordination in April, Denomme was diagnosed with cancer. She died May 17, according to her partner, Circuit Court of Cook County Judge Nancy Katz.
Although I feel sorry for Denomme, the refusal, by the Chicago Archdiocese, to allow her a Catholic funeral was the proper decision and completely understandable to those of us who follow Catholic teaching. Not only did she participate in an unlawful ordination but Denomme was in a long time lesbian relationship. As if those two were not enough, her "partner" was non - Catholic.
The media will use this tragedy to further bash the Catholic Church - as demonstrated in this video of Chicago's CBS2 Chief correspondent, Jay Levine.
The supporters of women's ordination will shamelessly use Denomme's tragic death by cancer to further their cause. Countless people watching the linked video or reading of Denomme's story will sympathize and call for the Church to change. Thankfully for all of us, the Church will not bend to popular opinion. The Church will remain steadfast and for this we should all be grateful.
