US Catholic Priests Conspiring to Create ‘Priestless Parishes’ Run by ‘Deaconesses’

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By Michael Hichborn

The abusive deconstruction of the Mass began in the late 1960s, introducing liturgical dancers and girl altar-boys to the Catholic Church. Organizations like Call to Action, FutureChurch, Pax Christi, and a host of others have done their utmost to tear down the Traditions of the Church, replacing them with neo-pagan practices. Now, an organization operating under the name "Association of U.S. Catholic Priests" (AUSCP) is actively working to complete the paganization of the Catholic Church by establishing Catholic parishes run by “ordained” deaconesses.

Recent articles by the National Catholic Reporter (NCR) and ChurchMilitant.com caused us to take notice of the AUSCP. After performing a quick review of a broad spectrum of reporting (both friendly and hostile) on the AUSCP, we commissioned an Organization Profile and related research on the organization itself and its activities. Over the next several weeks, we will be reporting on various aspects of the findings in the commissioned report, but for this first article, we will focus primarily on the AUSCP’s blueprint for creating Catholic parishes run by deaconesses.

In an August 2016 press release, the AUSCP published a statement signed by its leadership team which claims that “ordaining woman permanent deacons will enhance pastoral ministry to God’s people.” This position by the AUSCP is not a new one, however, as the press release points out: "In its national assembly held in Seattle, WA, in June of 2013, the Association of United States Catholic Priests (AUSCP) passed a resolution to promote the ongoing discussion of the ordination of women as permanent deacons in our Catholic Church."

The resolution mentioned in the press release did more than simply "promote ongoing discussion" on the ordination of women as deacons, however. Taking matters a step further, the resolution specifically called for the ordination of women as deacons and a rewriting of Canon law to lift restrictions against the ordination of women. The passed resolution says:

Proposal 7

Be it resolved The Association of U.S. Catholic Priests (AUSCP) supports the ordination of women to the permanent diaconate and recommends:

• That the ongoing discussion of the ordination of women to the diaconate continue;
• That the US Catholic Bishops publicly support the restoration of the ancient
  practice of ordaining deaconesses; (cf. Constitution of the Holy Apostles, 8. 19-20)
• That the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB) request
  amendment of canon 1024 which restricts valid sacred ordination to baptized males
  alone.

This support for female deacons, however, is not intended to be an end in itself, but a stepping stone to something far more insidious. At the end of the day, as with nearly all dissident, heretical sects like this one, the end goal is the priestly ordination of women by stages. The AUSCP’s Proposal 7 was immediately followed by a resolution for the ordination of women as priestesses:

Proposal 8

Be it resolved that the Association of U.S. Catholic Priests (AUSCP), call for the study of, and an open discussion for the ordination of women and married men to the priesthood. Rationale:

• This is a first necessary step (… study and discussion …)
• The People of God need shepherds
• The people of God need sacraments

Let's review the progression … AUSCP asserts its full-throated support for the ordination of women to the permanent diaconate and the removal of restrictions to the ordination of women. Following that, AUSCP proposes "open discussion" on the ordination of women to the priestesshood. In the rationale, it calls "open discussion" a necessary first step toward ordaining women as priestesses. It's worth noting that "open discussion" is never truly about an academic exercise directed toward Truth, but is more in line with the directed dialogue initiated by the serpent in Eden. In other words, just the possibility of having this discussion is seen as necessary for getting what they want … ordained women. But, before there can be a dialogue about the viability of ordaining women as priestesses, there must first be something to talk about and something to show as support for their position. This is why opening the door to the female diaconate is so important to them, and why their plan for "priestlesses parishes" is so integral to the plan.

Read the rest at the Lepanto Institute.

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