Marjorie Tuite

Sister Marjorie Tuite, O.P. (1922–1986) was a New York City-born and reared Dominican Sister, a progressive activist on issues related to the Church and the larger world, such as racism, poverty, war and the ordination of women.[1]

One of her lectures on economic justice was canceled by San Diego's Bishop Leo Maher after the Vatican responded with a threat of expulsion. In late November 1975, Tuite was among the key organizers of the first International Women's Ordination Conference (WOC).[2] She was one of the "Vatican 24", Religious Sisters who had signed the Catholic Statement on Pluralism and Abortion published in the New York Times on October 7, 1984.[3]

The Catholic Magisterium, via the Congregation for Institutes of Consecrated Life and Societies of Apostolic Life, reacted by threatening the Sisters with dismissal from their respective religious congregations if they did not retract their statements, in accordance with Church doctrine. Tuite appeared on The Phil Donahue Show on January 28, 1985 (along with fellow signers Patricia Hussey and Barbara Ferraro) to defend their position. Subsequently, Tuite became terminally ill with pancreatic cancer, and the Dominican Sisters retracted her statement without her knowledge on her behalf.[4]

Death and legacy

Sister Tuite died on June 28, 1986, following her battle with pancreatic cancer. On July 3, at Tuite's funeral Mass, Father Matarazzo, a Dominican priest at the Church of St. Vincent Ferrer, Tuite's childhood parish, instructed the mixed crowd that only Catholics should come forward for Holy Communion. Sister Maureen Fiedler countered him by telling attendees that all would be welcome at Communion, including non-Catholics.[5] During the Consecration, the priest was surrounded by women, including Ruth McDonough Fitzpatrick of the WOC. Fitzpatrick recalled that the priest elbowed the women "to give him his sacred space" but that they did not yield.[6] Instead, the women extended their hands over the Eucharist and said the words of consecration "so loudly that you could hear it in this huge New York church."[5] Men and women from the peace movement and those working for human rights stood up spontaneously and shared memories of Tuite.[7] Many non-Catholics went forward to receive communion including the Protestant minister and peace activist William Sloane Coffin. Fitzpatrick said that "Women-Church came into its own at Margie's funeral in the way that Margie wanted."[6] Tuite's ashes were taken to Nicaragua and, after they were taken through some of the villages where she had worked with local women, they were finally interred in a barrio of Managua.[8]

Awards

Year Award
1978 Catholic Committee Urban Ministry Award for commitment of social justice
1979 US Catholic Magazine Award for work with women in the church
1985 Boise Idaho Peace Quilt
1985 Mary Rhodes Award

See also

References

  1. ↑ Loyola University Chicago site (PDF)
  2. ↑ "Key People and Organizations". Our Story. Washington, DC: Women's Ordination Conference. Retrieved 6 October 2011.
  3. ↑ No Turning Back (1990) by Barbara Ferraro, Patricia Hussey, with Jane O'Reilly, (Poseidon Press)
  4. ↑ Katzenstein, Mary Fainsod (1999). Faithful and Fearless: Moving Feminist Protest Inside the Church and Militar. Princeton studies in american politics: historical, international, and comparative perspectives. Princeton University Press. p. 215. ISBN 0-691-01008-0.
  5. 1 2 Katzenstein, 1999, p. 121
  6. 1 2 Steichen, Donna (1991). Ungodly rage: the hidden face of Catholic feminism. Ignatius Press. p. 312. ISBN 0-89870-348-4.
  7. ↑ Russell, Letty M. (1993). Church in the round: feminist interpretation of the church. Westminster John Knox Press. p. 144. ISBN 0-664-25070-X.
  8. ↑ No Turning Back (1990) Ferraro, Hussey, O'Reilly, p. 263
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