Father Anne Explained

Father Anne
Birth Name:Anne Tropeano
Birth Place:Massachusetts
Nationality:American
Education:Jesuit School of Theology
Occupation:Catholic Priest (disputed)
Organization:Catholic Church (excommunicated)
Known For:Women's ordination, Catholic feminism
Movement:Women's Ordination Movement
Website:https://www.fatheranne.com

"Father Anne", born Anne Tropeano, is a Catholic who attempted ordination as a Catholic Priest through the Womanpriest Movement.[1] Upon her purported ordination, Anne was excommunicated from the Catholic Church, though she continues to refer to herself as "Father Anne.” The Universal Catholic Church has always held, as a matter of divine revelation, that women are incapable of receiving ordination to the Sacrament of Holy Orders, and therefore, her "ordination" is not recognized by the Catholic Church.

Call to the priesthood

Anne Tropeano was born in Massachusetts and resides in New Mexico.[2] She earned a Master's degree in Divinity from the Jesuit School of Theology in Berkeley, California. Anne had a varied background working in nonprofits and small business administration. She studied marketing and promotions and earned a Master's degree in Rhetoric and Writing Studies from San Diego State University. She managed an independent touring band for five years. Tropeano received Catholic sacraments when she was a child but she only began to be an active Catholic in her late 20s.

Ordination through the womanpriest movement

The trend of advocating for the ordination of women by a minority of Catholics, began during the 1960s.[3] Tropeano's work is part of this movement as she works within the womanpriest movement.[4] She attempted ordination in her home state of New Mexico at the Cathedral of St. John in Albuquerque, an Episcopal church, in October 2021.[5]

Anne Tropeano is celibate and presents herself in the typical dress of a Catholic priest. She has said God called her to the priesthood saying, "God is asking me to do this and so it came down to either being obedient to the church teaching or being obedient to God, and we all know the church has changed its teachings over time on other issues."[6] In 2020, she was a recipient of the Lucile Murray Durkin[7] Scholarship, named after a visionary Catholic activist.[8]

The Catholic News Agency reported promptly on her "supposed ordination" and her "simulated Mass" at St. Paul Lutheran Church in Albuquerque the following day. Glennon Jones, the vicar general of the Archdiocese of Santa Fe, confirmed the impossibility of the Church to ordain women.[9]

According to National Catholic Reporter, there are about 250 self-proclaimed Catholic women priests around the world. Many of these women were ordained through the womanpriest movement. Pope Francis has maintained, as a matter of revelation, the impossibility of ordination to the Catholic priesthood for any women.

Tropeano plans to tour the United States to raise awareness about the need for women's ordination. She has publicly shared she will use the hashtag #FatherAnneInTheVan.

BBC documentary

In December 2022, the BBC World Service published a documentary about Anne titled "The Women Fighting to Be Priests" which included film of her ordination.[10] After the release of the BBC documentary, Father Anne called upon Pope Francis to meet with women who want to be recognized as Roman Catholic priests.

Ministry to the LGBTQ community

Anne Tropeano is an open supporter of LGBTQ Catholics and has been quoted as saying, "I especially want to minister to the LGBTQ community." In June 2022, she marched in the Albuquerque pride parade.[11]

See also

References

  1. Web site: Future womanpriest 'Father Anne' blames God for leading her towards ordination . 2022-12-12 . www.ncronline.org . en.
  2. News: Ruggles . Rick . October 16, 2021 . The Faith of 'Father Anne' . The Santa Fe New Mexican.
  3. Web site: 2018-08-29 . Mary Jeremy Daigler, Incompatible with God's Design: A History of the Women's Ordination Movement in the U.S. Roman Catholic Church, The Scarecrow Press, Inc., Lanham, Toronto, and Plymouth, 2012. . 2022-12-12 . History of Women Religious of Britain and Ireland . en.
  4. 2021-06-18 . The Women Who Want to Be Priests . 2022-12-12 . The New Yorker . en-US.
  5. Web site: McElwee . Kate . 2021-09-23 . Media Advisory: Roman Catholic Woman Becomes "Father Anne" on October 16 in Albuquerque . 2022-12-12 . Women's Ordination Conference . en-US.
  6. Web site: Golightly . Chase . 2021-10-16 . New Mexico woman ordained as priest, calls for church reform . 2022-12-12 . KOB.com . en-US.
  7. Web site: About Lucile Murray Durkin . 2022-12-20 . Women's Ordination Conference . en-US.
  8. Web site: 2021-09-02 . Becoming Fr. Anne . 2022-12-20 . Women's Ordination Conference: The Table . en-US.
  9. Web site: CNA . Woman's attempted ordination invalid, says archdiocese . 2022-12-12 . Catholic News Agency . en.
  10. 2022-12-01 . EIN Presswire . Father Anne Calls Pope Francis to Have Audience With Women Called to Priesthood Following Release of BBC Documentary . 2022-12-12 . en-US.
  11. Web site: Marching with pride . 2022-12-20 . FATHER ANNE . en.