ROME, Italy — In an unprecedented act of defiance against the Catholic Church‘s ban on women deacons and priests, a secret ordination ceremony was held on Thursday, October 18, 2024, aboard a barge on Rome’s River Tiber, just a short distance from the Vatican.
Among those ordained was Loan Rocher, a 68-year-old transgender woman from France, who joined five others in the unauthorized ceremony organised by a group advocating for gender inclusivity in the Catholic clergy.
Dressed in a white robe and rainbow stole, Rocher acknowledged that the Vatican did not recognize her ordination, along with those of two other priests and three deacons. However, she remained resolute in her actions.
“They’ve been repeating the same message for 2,000 years — women are inferior, subordinate, invisible. It’s okay. We’ve waited long enough, so I’m doing it now,” Rocher told AFP following the ceremony.
Held in secrecy and conducted in three languages, the service mirrored the liturgy of an official Catholic mass, complete with Bible readings, hymns, and Communion.
Around 50 supporters attended, representing countries from across the globe.
While the ceremony was celebrated by those present, it remains illegal under Catholic canon law, which prohibits the ordination of women and deems such actions grounds for excommunication.
US “bishop” Bridget Mary Meehan, a prominent figure in the movement, described the threat of excommunication as an unjust punishment.
Meehan, 76, is part of the group that organized the ordinations and claims to have performed 270 similar ceremonies across 14 countries since its inception in 2002.
She emphasised the movement’s mission to create an inclusive Church that welcomes all, including LGBTQ individuals, divorced and remarried people, and others who have historically been marginalized by Catholic doctrine.
“For 22 years, we have worked hard to create a more inclusive, loving church where LGBTQ, divorced and remarried [people] — everyone — is welcome at the table. No one is excluded,” Meehan said.
The ceremony took place on the barge’s upper deck, with an altar adorned by candles and floral crowns.
The six candidates for ordination pledged to “serve the people of God” before receiving blessings from the congregation, who laid hands on them in a gesture of support.
Pressure on the Synod
The timing of the ceremony is significant, as it coincides with the final week of a month-long Synod at the Vatican, where Church leaders have been discussing the future of the institution.
While the Synod’s agenda had included the possibility of admitting women as deacons — who can officiate at baptisms, weddings, and funerals, but not celebrate mass — the proposal was ultimately removed, much to the dismay of feminist groups and advocates for women’s ordination.
Pope Francis, 87, himself dismissed the idea of women deacons during a CBS interview in May 2023, a move that activists described as a “cold shower.”
Adeline Fermanian, a representative of the French Catholic feminist group Comite de la Jupe, said the Church’s refusal to consider women’s ordination is out of step with modern needs.
“The Church’s ‘authoritarian’ response and the decision to remove women’s ordination from the Synod agenda was totally out of step with the philosophy of the summit, which is based on consulting the faithful, including women, around the world,” Fermanian told AFP.
Feminist groups have long decried the patriarchal structure of the Catholic Church, where women’s roles are often relegated to supportive functions, such as teaching catechism, serving as nuns, or assisting in parishes.
They argue that women are central to the life of the Church and deserve equal opportunities to serve as ministers.
Cultural Resistance and Future Hopes
Despite growing support for the ordination of women in certain parts of the world, including Europe and North America, the idea remains controversial in more conservative regions such as Africa, where cultural opposition to the concept of women deacons persists.
While Pope Francis has consistently praised the contributions of women within the Church, he maintains that their involvement does not extend to the ministry.
Feminist critics see this as a strategic way to marginalize women while praising their virtues.
“They overpraise our qualities. They make women practically into goddesses… and they tell them ‘You’re serving. It’s the most beautiful vocation,’” said Fermanian.
“In fact, it’s a strategy to sideline and discriminate.”
Despite the Church’s stance, the women ordained in Thursday’s ceremony remain hopeful. Rocher, along with others, views her ordination as a step toward progress.
“I prefer to be someone who moves forward, rather than one who complains,” Rocher said.
Meehan echoed this sentiment, concluding the ceremony with optimism: “The hierarchy is afraid but the people are not afraid. And they love women priests.”
The ceremony may not be recognized by the Vatican, but it has reignited the conversation around gender equality in the Catholic Church, with advocates continuing to push for change, undeterred by the threat of excommunication.
