Media Advisory: Roman Catholic Woman Becomes “Father Anne” on October 16 in Albuquerque

Media Advisory:

Contact: Kate McElwee, kmcelwee@womensordination.org

Anne Tropeano, known as Father Anne, will be ordained to the Roman Catholic priesthood in Albuquerque, NM on Saturday, October 16, 2021 at 2 p.m. at the Cathedral of St. John, defying the Vatican and breaking canon law, which automatically excommunicates women who attempt ordination. 

Anne Tropeano holds a Master of Divinity from the Jesuit School of Theology in Berkeley, CA, and ministered with the Jesuits for twelve years.  Recently profiled in The New Yorker, Fr. Anne is quoted saying, “You say women can’t be priests? Watch me.”  

“The inequality of women in the Catholic Church is simply an injustice that must end. When women courageously step forward and claim their equal place at the altar, it sends a message straight to the Vatican: Women are called to be priests and no man-made law will stop that,” said Kate McElwee, Executive Director of the Women’s Ordination Conference.  

The ordination will take place through the Association of Roman Catholic Women Priests, a renewal movement in the Catholic Church that advocates for a new model of inclusive priestly ministry. Today there are approximately 250 ordained women who are excommunicated by the Vatican, but who continue to minister as Catholic priests. 

Father Anne has chosen Albuquerque for her ordination and her ministry, and will be joined by at least eight local ecuemnical faith leaders, and several other Roman Catholic women priests (see below).  

“Many people may not realize that the Jesuits came to New Mexico in 1867, but because of declining vocations and staff, they left in June 2021. Through my ministry, I hope to build a community steeped in Ignatian spirituality,” said Father Anne. “There is no such thing as a vocational crisis, only an unwillingness of the institutional church to open its doors to women called to serve as priests.” 

The ordination weekend events are open to the media. 

###

Ordination Weekend Events: (Open to all with COVID precautions in place)

• October 15, 2021 @ 5:30 – 7:30 p.m.: Festival of #JoyfulResistance with the Women’s Ordination Conference
  • First Unitarian Church of Albuquerque, 3701 Carlisle Blvd NE, Albuquerque, NM
  • Program includes: 5:30 p.m. Meet and Mingle; 6 p.m. Listen and Learn; 7 p.m. Dance and Delight. Music, food, and drinks provided.
  • Event is outdoors

• October 16, 2021 @ 2 p.m.: Ordination to the priesthood  
  • The Cathedral of St. John, 318 Silver Avenue SW, Albuquerque, NM 87102
  • ASL interpreters present
  • Reception in the Church courtyard following the ceremony. 

• October 17, 2021 @ 1 p.m. First Mass
  • St. Paul Lutheran, 1100 Indian School Road NE, Albuquerque, NM 87102
  • Coffee and donuts outdoors after Mass.  

Concelebrants: 

• Very Rev. Kristina Maulden, Dean, Cathedral of St. John (Episcopal)
• Rev. Dr. Kelly Jackson Brooks, Executive Pastor, Central United Methodist Church
• Rev. Dr. Robert B. Woodruff, Pastor, Second Presbyterian Church Albuquerque
• Rev. Sue Joiner, Senior Minister, First Congregational United Church of Christ
• Rev. Erica Lea-Simka, Pastor, Albuquerque Mennonite Church
• Rev. Kristi Koppel, Pastor, St. Paul Lutheran Church
• Matt Pargeter-Villarreal, Ministerial Intern at First Unitarian Church, Albuquerque
• Rev. Amani Malaika, Senior Minister, Albuquerque Center for Spiritual Living
• Bishop Bridget Mary Meehan, Rev. Mary Theresa Streck, Rev. Shelley Gilchrist (Association of Roman Catholic Women Priests, ARCWP)
• Rev. Jennifer O’Malley, (Roman Catholic Women Priests, RCWP)