A report on the Priestette and her fake "Mass"

This past Friday night Toni Tortorilla, a "transpersonal counselor" and a priestette created by Roman Catholic Womenpriests, performed a make believe "Mass" here in Eugene, Oregon, at the First Christian Church (see this previous post). This past July, Tortorilla was "ordained" a priestette, along with her lesbian partner (who was "ordained" as a deaconette), in Portland, Oregon. A number of Catholics contacted Dan Bryant, senior pastor at First Christian, and asked that he cancel the event in Eugene, but to no avail. About 15 Catholics assembled in quiet protest, and some of them, including a friend of mine, went inside for part of the service. He said that about 60-70 folks were in attendance, the vast majority of them women (and many of them apparently lesbian). Many of those in attendance were from two Catholic parishes: St. Jude and the Newman Center; both have a reputation for being a bit, uh, loose with Church teaching. The organist at the event was reportedly the organist/choir leader for the Newman Center, and the "communion" helpers included a couple from St. Jude parish.

Here is a part of the program/"missal" for the event:

It should be pointed out that the larger context of Pope Benedict's remarks, made in an interview with German journalists, is as follows:

Holy Father, women are very active in many different areas of the Catholic Church. Shouldn't their contribution become more clearly visible, even in positions of higher responsibility in the Church?

We reflect a lot about this subject, of course. As you know, we believe that our faith and the constitution of the college of the apostles obliges us and doesn't allow us to confer priestly ordination on women.

But we shouldn't think either that the only role one can have in the Church is that of being a priest. There are lots of tasks and functions in the history of the Church. Starting with the sisters of the Fathers of the Church, up to the Middle Ages when great women played fundamental roles, up until modern times.

Think about Hildegard of Bingen who protested strongly before the bishops and the pope; of Catherine of Siena and Brigit of Sweden. In our own time, too, women, and we with them, must look for their right place, so to speak.

Today they are present in the departments of the Holy See. But there's a juridical problem: According to canon law the power to take legally binding decisions is limited to sacred orders. So there are limitations from this point of view but I believe that women themselves, with their energy and strength, with their superiority, with what I'd call their "spiritual power," will know how to make their own space.

And we will have to try to listen to God so as not to stand in their way but, on the contrary, to rejoice when the female element achieves the fully effective place in the Church best suited to her, starting with the Mother of God and with Mary Magdalen.

The service included songs by Marty Haugen (shocker!) and the Creed was "excerpted from Joan Chittister":


Because, of course, the Creed articulated and defined by the Councils of Nicaea and Constantinople simply won't do, being so filled with male pronouns and archaic language unsuitable for priestettes. The "Lord's Prayer" opened with the words, "Our Mother, Our Father..." The service concluded with "Sing a New Church."

Tortorilla, I've learned, works (at least part-time) for Northeast Catholic Counseling Services (NCCS) in Portland, Oregon. I've also been told, by someone familiar with the situation, that Archbishop John G. Vlazny is upset about all of this and has communicated to NCCS that Tortorilla needs to be released from her work there or else NCCS will face having its status as "Catholic" revoked. Some will, no doubt, see such actions as another sign of male oppression. But it is actually a matter of renouncing what my pastor aptly describes as "identity theft." Tortorilla is pretending to be something/someone she is not, and therefore will face consequences, just as those who pretend to be policemen, doctors, etc., have to answer, if caught, for their harmful impersonations. Hopefully she will realize that the eternal consequences for her actions are severe, and that she should not presume that God will take lightly her scandalous actions against the Church, the liturgy, and, most importantly, against Jesus Christ and the Eucharist.

Comments

[Mark L.]

Don't know what Orgeon's law is on this but she'd better not try this in Washington:

RCW 9A.60.040
Criminal impersonation in the first degree
(1) A person is guilty of criminal impersonation in the first degree if the person:
(a) Assumes a false identity and does an act in his or her assumed character with intent to defraud another or for any other unlawful purpose; or
(b) Pretends to be a representative of some person or organization or a public servant and does an act in his or her pretended capacity with intent to defraud another or for any other unlawful purpose.
(2) Criminal impersonation in the first degree is a class C felony.
[2004 c 11 § 1; 2003 c 53 § 78; 1993 c 457 § 1; 1975 1st ex.s. c 260 § 9A.60.040.]

[Pat Malone]

Mark,
I don't believe you can get her on this because the intent is not present. Truth is, she actually believes that what she is doing is from God.

[Robin L. in TX]

It's amazing how our sinful inclinations darken our conscience over time, assuming that our conscience was rightly formed in the first place.

I know from my own experience that this is so, but must admit that denouncing Catholic doctrine, and then going outside of the Church to hold an illicit "ordination," then calling it "Roman Catholic" certainly shows chutpah.
Of course, she probably meant, "Roaming Catholic."

In Christ's peace and joy,

Robin L. in tX

[Jackson]

The arrogance and narcissism of these people is just astounding.

And what's with the "Newman Center"? Wouldn't Newman be disgusted?

[Mark L.]

Pat Malone: You're not suggesting she would have a defense that she was acting in "good faith" are you? :-)

[fr. richard]

Pat,

While it is true that if one attempted to take civil action against this woman, courts might not want to get entangled in such an case (but then, you never know for sure. I believe there are precidents with men who have posed as priests.)

However, if she declared that she was a police officer, bought a badge and a uniform and started making traffic stops, she'd be arrested in short order. Her "intentions" would hardly be relevant, unless she entered a plea of insanity, in which case she'd be safely stored away until she was cured.

Sounds right to me.

And, on her part, this might even be welcome for the publicity it would bring her.

[Dan]

I found the Chittister Creed fascinating, particularly for what it omitted. Judging from the omissions, it is evident that Sister Chittister is unable to affirm the following:

That God is “the Father, the Almighty, the Maker of heaven and earth, of all that is seen and unseen”

That Jesus is Lord, eternally begotten of the Father, God from God, Light from Light, true God from true God, begotten not made, one in being with the Father; that through him all things were made; that for us men and our salvation he came down from Heaven and became man; that for our sake he was crucified under Pontius Pilate; that he rose on the third day “in fulfillment of the Scriptures”; that he ascended into Heaven and is seated at the right hand of the Father; that he will come again in glory to judge the living and the dead

That Mary was a virgin

That the Holy Spirit is the lord and giver of life; that he proceeds from the Father and the Son; that with the Father and Son he is worshipped and glorified; that he has spoken through the prophets

That we look for the resurrection of the dead

[Dan]

I note though that the Creed attributed to Sister Chittister is said to be "excerpted." I'm not sure what that means but it suggests that perhaps I should not tar Sister Chittister with the Creed the Priestess Tortorilla professes.

[Gail]

I checked her bio to see what a "transpersonal counselor" is and found this:

"In my work as a Transpersonal counselor I focus on psychological, emotional and spiritual development rather than pathology. I view all human experience as purposeful and oriented toward expanded awareness, soul development and personal growth. In my work with individuals and couples I assume that life moves naturally toward significant transformations..."

What a crock! This is the sort of thing that people working with homosexual men and lesbian women are always spouting, but they don't mean it. Beating your wife or child -- is that "oriented toward expanded awareness"? How about stalking? A poor clerk in a store next to a butcher shop I frequent was just shot to death by a robber yesterday, because he didn't get the cash out of the drawer fast enough. Was that a non-pathological act aimed at expanded awareness and soul development?

Of course if you say that kind of stuff and think you mean it (what it really means is: come here for counseling, gay and "transgendered" people, because I won't tell you that you have a problem), then who knows what else you'll say and do?

Gail Finke

[Ben S.]

Argh! This story is full of things that I either want to laugh at or get pretty frustrated about.
As someone who had a good experience attending the St. Thomas More Newman Center in Eugene- Catholic campus ministry for the nearby University- it's more disheartening to hear that their organist played for this fake mass, instead of anyone who attended that may've been from either parish. I guess it bothers me that someone who actively helps w/ the liturgy at (real) masses, would help w/ this travesty. I never heard of sympathy to craziness like this, while at the parish, but a parish can always have some crazies to misrepresent it.
The hand-outs pointed to the egregious and hilarious cognitive dissonance going on here. They'll quote Benedict XVI when it favors them, and emphasize that they're really really celebrating a Catholic mass but with a completely different creed. They again emphasize the "RC tradition" but center & focus on the inclusivity, gender, & gay issues. Their 'offering of the Eucharist' for pioneering women ahead of them sounds more like a nice dinner or art performance to be offered for a cause.
And thanks to Gail, for checking out the service description. That was pretty funny. Sounds like it's all about validating anything that a person wants to do, and calling it good for self-growth. Ridiculous.

[rd]

the words "courage and audacity" in their "missal" ought to be enough warning for faithful Catholics to avoid this nonsense. any true Servant of Christ wouldn't have thought of themselves that way.

[bruce w]

NOW thats herrassmint: humble arrogance,or is it meekly haughty? they actually beleive this?

[ASimpleSinner]

These folks have been around for 30+ years and suche incidents are hardly worth the column inches...

Who cares?

NCR has been running this same story with a different set of would-be priestesses for decades.

OOOO how exciting! They are really "sticking it to the man and standing up for themselves!"

A few years ago the former first-lady of my state, Dagmar Celeste (ex-wife of two term Governer Dick C.) went on an ordination cruise and now putzes around some strore-front and prot-church basement gatherings in the gay communitiy of the capital "doing her thing" for adoring GLB/divorcess/pro-abortion types with little notice or fanfare outside of those communities. She's a joke.

They are just kidding themselves and succeed in building NOTHING. I work with a girl whose rock-n-roll star brother fancies himself an "orthodox priest" of the "Western rite Orthodox and Anglican Holy Catholic Church" or some such. By the end of the day, there are more words in the church name than members...

These people go nowhere, do nothing, build nothing, and leave nothing behind, except some other deluded souls who are busy patting themselves on the back for being "so progressive."

Whatever.

Mostly they look like the the most likely candidates for the role of "chaplain to the all-flannel wearing softball team" to me. Best of luck ladies!

[Jackson]

"These people go nowhere, do nothing, build nothing, and leave nothing behind, except some other deluded souls who are busy patting themselves on the back for being 'so progressive.' Whatever."

But that's an eternally important "except." It can't be met with "whatever."

[ASimpleSinner]

Fair enough and true Jackson - I am not indifferent to who make such collasal bluders sub specie æternitais... But to make special note of these bizarre antics in the way the Catholic press - blogosphere included - so frequently does is to elevate this garden variety pedantics and absurdity in a fashion that gives it PR and respectability.

I pray for thier conversion and return to right reason, but in the mean time their forray into the realm of such silliness is, well, silly.

[Carl Olson]

But to make special note of these bizarre antics in the way the Catholic press - blogosphere included - so frequently does is to elevate this garden variety pedantics and absurdity in a fashion that gives it PR and respectability.

I disagree. It doesn't follow at all that drawing attention to stupidity, error, and dissension is giving it "PR and respectability," especially when, at least in the case of my post, I highlight how wrong and foolish these priestettes are. The fact is this: many folks, including many Catholics, are confused by these actions. Ignoring them, unfortunately, is not the answer—not when silence would be taken by many as an indication that no good answer or response is available. Yes, this is "silly," in one sense; but, like many sins, it is silliness that is bound up in the serious reality of sin and scandal. And I think we all agree that addressing sin and scandal is a necessary thing, even if it means getting our hands muddy handling silly stuff.

[The young fogey]

It is identity theft, one backed up by the anti-Roman mainstream media.

'Ex-RC woman becomes minister in non-RC church' is not news, people.

Nor is the phenomenon of vagante churches - micro-denominations for whom Catholic means the right person (ordained by somebody ordained by somebody ordained by a Roman Catholic or Eastern bishop, five times back) zapped me by ordaining me so now I can do whatever I want - which the more conscientious journos acknowledge this is, only they think it's new (it's been going on since the mid-1800s).

Too often this gets crap coverage from the media: 'Name is now a [Roman] Catholic woman priest' then buried in about the fifth paragraph of the story 'not recognised by the Vatican'.

'I'm an NBA player. I'm not on one of their teams, they don't pay me and I'm not allowed to play in their games but I say I'm an NBA player.'

I don't call things Roman Catholic that aren't under Rome. That should be obviously fair.

In the Roman Catholic tradition may be sort of true as it often is for vagantes - sacramental and ceremonial - but sorry, no, it's still implied theft. Try opening a pizzeria and advertising it as in the tradition of Pizza Hut and see if you don't get sued.

Anyway the reason these women do this instead of becoming mainline Protestant ministers is not exactly malice but by joining one of these little churches there's not nearly as much emotional baggage as becoming an Episcopalian or United Church of Christ member, even though in Rome's eyes it's just as much 'leaving the church'. This way in their minds they get to pretend they're still RC. They don't really intend to change churches but stage a protest against the one they're mad at (so the Protestants shouldn't accept them for ordination anyway).

They want to give the church a makeover in their own likeness but don't want to change identity like formally becoming a Protestant (which they see as betraying their family, ethnicity and often class) hence the theft.

Also... I don't say priestess (or priestette) because in this context it means non-Christian which is unfair to many women clergy. It's just an insult.

Out of courtesy I call the local Methodist bishop 'Bishop Lastname' - it doesn't mean we're in communion - so in these stories 'the Episcopal priest' or 'the priest in a small denomination' or 'a priest in the Ecumenical Catholic Church' (one of the small denoms) is fine.

[Samantha]

Yes, I find this horrifying.

It is an abomination as is all heresy!

Yes truth must always be proclaimed...when necessary clarified with words.

That said instead of raging against such people....we need to be praying for them and everyone who is touched by their message!
It would also be good if we could offer some litle sacrifice for the purpose of reparation.

May God may bless all who believe and teach heresy with HIS TRUTH and the necessary humility to repent and lead others to do the same. May those who hear their message be spurred to seek the TRUTH!