Bishop Patricia Fresen (born 7 December 1940 died 3 September 2024) was a South African writer, a Catholic theologian, and a former nun.[1]
Life
editHer parents were from Germany and Ireland. After school, Fresen became a member of the Dominican Order. Fresen studied theology, pedagogic and languages and subsequently became a teacher. Fresen was then sent to Rome to study theology. She later worked in Pretoria in a Catholic seminary as teacher in Homiletics, Systematic theology and Spirituality.[1] She then taught at St Augustine's College in Johannesburg.[2]
Bishop Romulo Antonio Braschi conducted an ordination ceremony for Fresen in Barcelona in 2003. The Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith had previously decreed that the "attempted ordination of women" by Romulo Braschi was null and void and, as a result, imposed the penalty of excommunication on him and those who received ordination from him for reasons including the "attempted ordination" as well as participating in schism.[3] Together with German writers and theologians Gisela Forster and Ida Raming, Fresen is head of the international organization "Roman Catholic Womenpriests International", which promotes the ordination of women as Catholic priests; ordination of women is currently not allowed within the Catholic Church.[4][5][6]
References
edit- ^ a b "Woman bishop talks compassion, rather than ordination". National Catholic Reporter. 9 May 2011. Retrieved 13 June 2018.
- ^ "Lebenslauf Dr. Patricia Fresen". virtuelle-dioezese.de. Retrieved 13 June 2018.
- ^ "Decree on the Attempted Ordination of Some Catholic Women". vatican.va. 21 December 2002. Retrieved 12 May 2020.
- ^ Declaration of Excommunication of Patricia Fresen, Rose Hudson and Elsie McGrath by Raymond Leo Burke, Archbishop of St. Louis, 18 March 2008
- ^ "The Good Life and Catholic Women Priests bishop Patricia Fresen – Interview from Sunday Nights NLR – (ABC)". abc.net.au. 18 September 2011. Retrieved 13 June 2018.
- ^ Maguire, Marjorie Reiley. "The Lady Is a Bishop" (PDF).