Victoria Rue

Woman priest to say Mass

By: Ryan Berg

Posted: 9/27/06

Victoria Rue will be saying her weekly Mass at 5:15 p.m. today at the Spartan Memorial of San Jose State University.

Rue, lecturer of comparative religious studies and women's studies for SJSU, has upset some Roman Catholics with her status as a Roman Catholic priest, and some do not wish for her to follow through with these ceremonies.

"The church says who is and who isn't a priest," said Francis Cilia, vicar general of the Roman Catholic Diocese of San Jose.

"She is not validly ordained," Cilia said. "The church doesn't recognize it."

Rue said several posters she had set up advertising her upcoming Mass were ripped down, and one was defaced with a sticker exclaiming, "This is an invalid Roman Catholic Mass."

Cilia said the diocese has no idea who tore down Rue's posters, and they do not condone such actions.

"It is not a Christian way of acting," Cilia said.

Rue said she feels sad for the individual who felt the need to tear down her posters.

"What is it I'm doing that is so fearful?" Rue said. "What I'm doing is offering a Mass, a place for people to get together and pray."

Rue said she has continually tried contacting the bishop in hopes that she may speak with him.

"I want to share my story of how I was called to be a priest, and I want to hear his story of how he was called," Rue said.

Rue said she has not been given much help in her attempts.

"I spoke with the secretary of the bishop, and the secretary of the vicar general, but all they told me was, 'When you no longer call yourself a priest, we will be happy to talk to you,' " said Rue.

"I will wait until he is ready," Rue said. "Meanwhile, I will go on presiding Mass for the people."

Rue said scriptures were discovered in Roman catacombs dating back before the 12th century, and those scriptures depict women holding positions of priesthood.

"The church contends that women were never priests," Cilia said. "It is a divine command."

Jennifer Rycenga, professor of comparative religious studies for SJSU, said it was possible for there to be woman priests back in the early stages of Christianity, when it was an underground religion.

"This remains a hotly debated issue," Rycenga said.

Rue said she was ordained by three women bishops who were ordained in secrecy by two male bishops.

"It's about time that women are ordained," Rue said. "Women have waited a long time."

When asked if she would ever consider becoming a bishop, Rue replied that she isn't interested in that.

"I'm interested in presiding Mass, offering sacraments and helping people live with all the suffering in the world," Rue said.

Rycenga said there appeared to be a genuine sense of piety, or devout fulfillment and spirituality, among the people who attended Rue's Masses.

"They don't feel like they are in moral peril," Rycenga said. "They are Catholics in an authentic American movement."

"Priesthood should not be dependant on genitals," Rue said. "Jesus was a Jew - should all priests be Jews?"

Rue encourages all to come to her Masses starting today.

"Everyone is welcome, even the person who is taking down the posters," Rue said.