Thursday, October 1, 2026
The guests came together from all over the world to the United Churches in Olympia, both in person and via Zoom on April 25, 2026. They came to ordain the Rev. Kathleen Bellefeuille-Rice as a bishop in the Roman Catholic Womenpriests (RCWP) movement.
Like Roman Catholic priests in the mainstream church, a womanpriest is an ordained minister who provides sacramental and liturgical services, such as confession and mass, and pastoral care. They teach, preach, and administer the sacraments. Bishops provide “prophetic, spiritual, sacramental, and liturgical leadership” (as described in the RCWP constitution); support the womenpriests in their duties; and represent the organization to the world. Bishops ordain deacons, priests and other bishops, as well as performing duties of the womenpriests.
Bellefeuille-Rice has been a devout Catholic all her life, and has been active in the Catholic Worker Movement, whose aim is to “live in accordance with the justice and charity of Jesus Christ.” Her dedication led her to work in religious education, social justice, healing prayer, and services to the homeless. This sense of service led Kathleen to connect with RCWP.
The first womenpriests were ordained by male Roman Catholic Bishops in good standing with the Vatican, on the Danube River in 2002. RCWP’s position is that the ordination of womenpriests satisfy all Roman Catholic canon law requirements, especially apostolic succession, except for one. Canon Law 1024 says that only baptized men can be priests, which makes ordinations of womenpriests illicit according to Roman Catholic Church law.
The movement has grown considerably in the last 24 years and includes womenpriests in Europe, the Americas, Africa, Asia and 34 states, and now includes men and all genders. One might say that the movement combines the spirit of the Catholic Worker with the gender justice of feminism.
Several years ago, Kathleen described in writing how she started her journey with a lifelong longing that resurfaced when she heard the stories of RCWP priests and bishops. She said “I summoned every ounce of courage I possessed,” and sent in her application. After being accepted, and after years of study, she was ordained as a womenpriest in 2014. She was active in the Holy Wisdom Inclusive Catholic Community, which meets in Olympia and online, where she has led services and made home visits for 12 years.
In her own words: “The People of God who have called us forth have asked us to baptize, anoint the sick and dying, hear confessions, witness marriages, bury the dead, deliver meaningful homilies, and preside at mass. I am standing on the shoulders of women who have come before and laid a path for me, holding the hands of those who have answered the same call. Together we are responding to the cry of the people, asking what we can do together that we cannot do alone, blazing a path for those who will come after us and stand on our shoulders.”
When asked to stand for election as bishop of RCWP’s “Region of the Holy Margins,” Kathleen considered it for a while, and then said, "Yes!"
On that day, six other RCWP bishops ordained her before a full house of friends, family and fellow clergy. The two-hour service began with other womenpriests and bishops from as far away as the East Coast, dressed in white and red, entering the sanctuary in a solemn (but smiling) procession. A choir, which included Kathleen’s husband Dave Bellefeuille-Rice, and her daughter Clare as a cantor, sang songs of celebration and prayer, such as “Grandmother Song.” I hear the voice of my grandmother calling me. A spirit of joy was in the air, with congregants joining in the music with singing and hands in the air.
Participants offered prayers and read from the Bible. Kathleen was “examined” by the other bishops, so she could confirm publicly her commitment to service. She lay prostrate on the floor for a series of prayers. The congregation was invited to come up and “lay hands” on Kathleen, giving her their blessings. Then Bishop Jane Via anointed her head with oil. Other bishops presented her with a cross, ring and staff, symbols of her new office.
The service ended with the Eucharist — the communion service. Congregants received the consecrated bread and wine from Bishops Kathleen and Jane. Carried by song, Bishop Kathleen and the other Bishops processed out of the sanctuary.
Bishop Kathleen will now serve the womenpriests in the Region for the Holy Margins, which is concentrated on the West Coast but also includes members elsewhere in the U.S., and has candidates for priesthood in the U.S., Europe, Africa and Asia. She calls herself “a pastor to the pastors.” With the service and celebration over, now the hard work begins.
Learn more about Roman Catholic Womenpriests:
Paul Pickett is a former longtime resident of Olympia, now living in Port Angeles, who has contributed several news and feature stories to The JOLT.
13 comments on this item Please log in to comment by clicking here
Southsoundguy
Totally fake and misleading article. Women cannot be priests.
Tuesday, May 12 Report this
longtimeresident
Wow Kathleen. Who knew! I remember your interest in a meeting that was held at St. Mike's in early 1980(?) and the pastor at that time was present at the meeting. Congratulations and my prayers are with you!
Tuesday, May 12 Report this
PatMer
This might help understand the situation:
Roman Catholic Womenpriests (RCWP) is an Independent Catholic international organization that also claims a connection to the Roman Catholic Church.
Wednesday, May 13 Report this
wellnow77
southsoundguy - you be wrong!
Wednesday, May 13 Report this
MHoraney
Definitely the time and place for a *clarifiction* and correction.
Better headline: "Olympia Woman ordaned as a bishop in Womenpriests movement"
That is correct.
It is to the point.
It is not confusing.
Did I say it's correct?
It is.
Wednesday, May 13 Report this
GypsyKate
I offer this as a lifelong Catholic: What gives any human, no matter the gender, faith, title, profession etc., the right to question the call by SPIRIT, to walk the sacred path they are called too? Excellent article. Kudos to JOLT for covering this very pertinent local news. Grace to Bishop Kathleen.
Wednesday, May 13 Report this
burkemeister
The headline is inaccurate and should be corrected. The Roman Catholic Church does not recognize the ordination of women to the episcopacy or priesthood, and no diocesan bishop in communion with Rome sanctioned this event. According to the constant teaching of the Catholic Church, reaffirmed by the Magisterium in Pope St. John Paul II’s Ordinatio Sacerdotalis (1994), the Church has no authority whatsoever to confer priestly ordination on women. Since a bishop must first validly receive Holy Orders as a priest, a woman cannot validly become a Roman Catholic bishop.
While individuals or independent groups may conduct ceremonies and use Catholic terminology, this does not make them part of the Roman Catholic Church or place them in communion with the Pope and the bishops united with him. Referring to this person simply as a “Roman Catholic Bishop” is therefore misleading to readers. A more accurate description would clarify that this was an unsanctioned ceremony not recognized by the Catholic Church.
Wednesday, May 13 Report this
Wonderoos
A fringe neo-Catholic group installs another member:
"Reverend" Jen O'Malley is not a reverend. Here is a quote from her. “I joined CTA to be part of an organization that honored the voice of all Catholics. My partner of 23 years and I attended the conference in 1995 together, it was place we could be open about who we were- both as Catholics and Lesbians.”
Women can certainly serve in the church in many areas - but they cannot be pastors or elders.
Wednesday, May 13 Report this
burkemeister
To GypsyKate: As Catholics, we certainly believe that every person is called by the Holy Spirit to holiness, service, and participation in the life of the Church. But the Church also teaches that a personal sense of calling must be discerned and confirmed within the authority Christ Himself established through the Apostles and their successors.
The issue here is not whether women possess dignity, holiness, intelligence, leadership ability, or spiritual gifts. The Church fully affirms that they do. The question is whether the Church has the authority to alter the sacrament of Holy Orders as it was instituted by Christ.
The Catholic Church has consistently taught for 2,000 years that she does not possess that authority. Pope St. John Paul II stated in Ordinatio Sacerdotalis that “the Church has no authority whatsoever to confer priestly ordination on women,” and this teaching is to be definitively held by the faithful. This is understood not as a denial of dignity, but as fidelity to what the Church believes she received from Christ Himself.
Catholicism is not founded on individual interpretation or private spiritual experience alone. Scripture warns us to “test the spirits” (1 John 4:1), and throughout Christian history the Church has discerned authentic vocations through apostolic authority, sacramental validity, and communion with the universal Church.
So while individuals are free to pursue whatever spiritual path they believe they are called to, it is inaccurate to describe such ordinations as Roman Catholic when they are explicitly rejected by the Catholic Church and carried out outside her sacramental authority and communion.
Wednesday, May 13 Report this
Virge13
I attended Kathleen’s ordination into womenpriests in 2014. It was such a moving ceremony, I cried tears of joy. It’s ridiculous to think that men have any say into how and where women express their spirituality. Pee-pee obsessed little boys.
Wednesday, May 13 Report this
janehare
The original women who founded the Roman Catholic Women Priest movement were ordained by a Roman Catholic bishop in good standing. They in turn have ordained many other people to be Roman Catholic Women Priests. Does the Vatican support this? No, not yet. As a cradle Catholic and previous member of Saint Michael Parish, all I can say is that the Holy Spirit shines in these people and their call to Priesthood. Laws are man made- the Holy Spirit is divine. congratulations Kathleen!
Wednesday, May 13 Report this
burkemeister
To janehare: The claim is misleading because it confuses apostolic succession with ecclesial legitimacy and sacramental validity. Even if a validly ordained male bishop participated at some point, the Catholic Church teaches that women cannot validly receive Holy Orders. Therefore the attempted ordinations are considered invalid by the Church, not merely “unauthorized.”
The Vatican has definitively taught that “the Church has no authority whatsoever to confer priestly ordination on women” (Ordinatio Sacerdotalis). Earlier, the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith stated that priestly and episcopal ordination “cannot be validly conferred on women.”
So the issue is not simply whether Rome “approves” yet, as though this were an open disciplinary question. The Church teaches that she lacks the authority to do this at all. For that reason, these ceremonies are not recognized as Roman Catholic sacraments, regardless of claims about participating bishops or personal spiritual experiences.
Thursday, May 14 Report this
burkemeister
I do not doubt that many people who support these movements sincerely identify as lifelong Catholics and may genuinely believe they are following the Holy Spirit. But in Catholicism, personal conviction alone is not the final authority. Catholics are called to form their consciences in communion with the teaching authority Christ entrusted to the Church.
Throughout history, many baptized Catholics — clergy and laity alike — have disagreed with definitive Church teaching. The sincerity of a belief does not automatically make it compatible with the Catholic faith.
The question is not whether someone feels called, compassionate, or spiritually fulfilled. The question is whether the action is in communion with the teaching, sacramental order, and apostolic authority of the Church. On the issue of women’s ordination, the Church has definitively taught that she has no authority to confer priestly ordination on women.
As Catholics, we are not free to redefine the sacraments according to modern cultural preferences or personal spiritual experiences. Authentic discernment of the Holy Spirit occurs within the Church Christ established, not apart from her teaching authority.
So I would never deny that these individuals may be sincere or well-intentioned. But sincerity alone does not determine Catholic truth.
Thursday, May 14 Report this