Women's Priesthood Group Plans Michigan Ordination

THREE RIVERS, Mich. (AP) - A group that promotes opening the Catholic priesthood to women ordained a woman as priest Saturday in western Michigan, drawing a warning of excommunication from Kalamazoo's Roman Catholic bishop.

The organization Roman Catholic Womenpriests ordained 75-year-old Lillian Lewis on Saturday, MLive reported. Joan Houk, a bishop for Womenpriests, officiated at Lewis' Three Oaks home.

The service was originally going to be held at First Congregational Church in Three Oaks. But The Kalamazoo Gazette reports it will now be at Lewis' home.

Lewis told the newspaper she moved the ceremony because the church was receiving harassing phone calls.

Bishop Paul Bradley says the ordination is invalid and will bring the woman attempting it "automatic excommunication."
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