Catholics protest long-time controversy

BUFFALO, N.Y. (WIVB) - It's Holy Week for Catholics around the world. But, some right here in western New York will be spending the day protesting a long-time controversy. They want women to be ordained as priests.
 
The protest will take place Tuesday night in front of St. Joseph's Cathedral downtown.

Protests will be from the group "Call to Action Upstate New York."

They say, similar demonstrations will take place across the country.

They're protesting what they call is the mistreatment of Father Roy Bourgeois of Georgia.

The priest has been a vocal leader of women's equality in the church, including becoming priests.

In 2008, Bourgeois was excommunicated for taking part in a women's ordination ceremony at a Unitarian church.

Just last month, Bourgeois was given a letter from the Maryknoll Fathers and Brothers, saying he had 15 days to recant his support of women's ordination or face expulsion from the order.

Bishop Edward Kmiec is a member of the advisory committee to Maryknoll, but declines to comment on the matter because it's a personnel issue.

News 4 spoke with one of the "Call to Action" members about why Catholics would protest a Catholic church.

"He's being threatened with dismisal from his order for his support of women's ordination after 40 years and we think that's a true injustice," said Michael Toner, of Call to Action Upstate NY. "Catholics have the obligation to follow their conscious. And many of us believe that with good conscious and good back up that women should be ordained."