John Wijngaards
Encyclopedia
Johannes Nicolaas Maria Wijngaards (born 1935, in Surabaya
, Indonesia
) is a spiritual author and controversial Catholic theologian. Since 1977 he has been associated with public but loyal opposition to the authorities of the Catholic Church for their refusal to confer holy orders on women. In 1998 he resigned from his priestly ministry in protest against Pope John Paul II
’s decrees ‘Ordinatio Sacerdotalis’ and ‘Ad Tuendam Fidem’ which forbid further discussion of the women priests’ issue in the Catholic Church.
. During World War II
, his father was made to work on the infamous Burma Railway in Thailand, while John with his mother and three brothers were prisoners of war in Malang
, Surakarta
and Ambarawa. The family was repatriated to the Netherlands after the war.
and was ordained a priest in 1959. In Rome he obtained the Licentiate of Sacred Scripture at the Pontifical Biblical Institute
and the Doctorate of Theology at the Pontifical Gregorian University
(1963).
His studies focused on The Formulas of the Deuteronomic Creed (dissertation, Brill, Leiden 1963). Further research resulted in The Dramatisation of Salvific History in the Deuteronomic Schools (Brill, Leiden 1969) and a 360 page commentary on the book of Deuteronomy
in the well-known Dutch series of commentaries published by Romen & Zonen (Roermond 1971).
and was, for a number of years, a member of the National Advisory Council of the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of India.
At the same time he produced a number of books on Sacred Scripture including his well-known Background to the Gospels.
Research on the ministries convinced him that the exclusion of women must be attributed to cultural obstacles, not to Scripture or Tradition. He urged the Indian hierarchy to start a process of exploring the full ordination of women.
in London (1976–1982), he became Director of Housetop, an international centre of adult faith formation (1982–2009). He also lectured at the Missionary Institute London which was affiliated to Louvain Catholic University and Middlesex University
(1983–1998).
During this time he pioneered the ‘Walking on Water’ series of video courses for adult faith formation which were co-produced by 15 countries in all continents. He wrote the scripts for nine half-hour film stories. He also produced the acclaimed 2 ½ - hour film Journey to the Centre of Love of which he was both the scriptwriter and the executive producer (see awards below).
(1976), the declaration by the Congregation of the Doctrine of the Faith in which the Vatican’s reasons for excluding women are clearly spelled out.
In the decades that followed Rome stiffened its opposition to women’s ordination, culminating in Ordinatio Sacerdotalis
(1995) and subsequent documents by which the freedom of discussion by theologians was further curtailed. In protest, John resigned from his priestly ministry on 17 September 1998. His request for official reduction to the status of a lay person was acknowledged by Rome on 21 February 2000. On the 27th of May he married Jacqueline Clackson in a simple Church ceremony.
John has continued publishing his reasons for advocating a change in Church policy in a series of books, notably The Ordination of Women in the Catholic Church and No Women in Holy Orders? In 1999 he established a website that has grown out to be the largest internet library with documentation on the ordination of women.
Traditionalist Catholics decry John Wijngaards as a ‘public dissenter and heretic’. He himself maintains that speaking out does not undermine accepting the teaching authority of the Pope. He firmly opposes the illegal ordination of women outside the established structure of the Church, as is done in the so-called Roman Catholic Women Priests movement.
Surabaya
Surabaya is Indonesia's second-largest city with a population of over 2.7 million , and the capital of the province of East Java...
, Indonesia
Indonesia
Indonesia , officially the Republic of Indonesia , is a country in Southeast Asia and Oceania. Indonesia is an archipelago comprising approximately 13,000 islands. It has 33 provinces with over 238 million people, and is the world's fourth most populous country. Indonesia is a republic, with an...
) is a spiritual author and controversial Catholic theologian. Since 1977 he has been associated with public but loyal opposition to the authorities of the Catholic Church for their refusal to confer holy orders on women. In 1998 he resigned from his priestly ministry in protest against Pope John Paul II
Pope John Paul II
Blessed Pope John Paul II , born Karol Józef Wojtyła , reigned as Pope of the Catholic Church and Sovereign of Vatican City from 16 October 1978 until his death on 2 April 2005, at of age. His was the second-longest documented pontificate, which lasted ; only Pope Pius IX ...
’s decrees ‘Ordinatio Sacerdotalis’ and ‘Ad Tuendam Fidem’ which forbid further discussion of the women priests’ issue in the Catholic Church.
Early years
Wijngaards was born on 30 September 1935 from Dietze van Hoesel en Dr Nicolaas Carel Heinrich Wijngaards, both Dutch citizens, in the Indonesian city of SurabayaSurabaya
Surabaya is Indonesia's second-largest city with a population of over 2.7 million , and the capital of the province of East Java...
. During World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
, his father was made to work on the infamous Burma Railway in Thailand, while John with his mother and three brothers were prisoners of war in Malang
Malang
Malang is the second largest city in East Java province, Indonesia. It has an ancient history dating back to the Mataram Kingdom. The city population at the 2010 Census was 819,708. During the period of Dutch colonization, it was a popular destination for European residents. The city is famous for...
, Surakarta
Surakarta
Surakarta, also called Solo or Sala, is a city in Central Java, Indonesia of more than 520,061 people with a population density of 11,811.5 people/km2. The 44 km2 city adjoins Karanganyar Regency and Boyolali Regency to the north, Karanganyar Regency and Sukoharjo Regency to the east and...
and Ambarawa. The family was repatriated to the Netherlands after the war.
Studies
John Wijngaards joined the Mill Hill MissionariesMill Hill Missionaries
Mill Hill Missionaries is a society of Catholic missionaries founded in 1866.-External links:* * * http://www.vocationsireland.com/missionpriests/millhill.html...
and was ordained a priest in 1959. In Rome he obtained the Licentiate of Sacred Scripture at the Pontifical Biblical Institute
Pontifical Biblical Institute
The Pontifical Biblical Institute in Rome, Italy is an institution of the Holy See run by the Jesuits that offers instruction at the university level...
and the Doctorate of Theology at the Pontifical Gregorian University
Pontifical Gregorian University
The Pontifical Gregorian University is a pontifical university located in Rome, Italy.Heir of the Roman College founded by Saint Ignatius of Loyola over 460 years ago, the Gregorian University was the first university founded by the Jesuits...
(1963).
His studies focused on The Formulas of the Deuteronomic Creed (dissertation, Brill, Leiden 1963). Further research resulted in The Dramatisation of Salvific History in the Deuteronomic Schools (Brill, Leiden 1969) and a 360 page commentary on the book of Deuteronomy
Deuteronomy
The Book of Deuteronomy is the fifth book of the Hebrew Bible, and of the Jewish Torah/Pentateuch...
in the well-known Dutch series of commentaries published by Romen & Zonen (Roermond 1971).
Services in India
John taught Sacred Scripture at St John's Major Seminary in Hyderabad, India (1963–1976). During that time he was instrumental in founding Amruthavani communication centre, Jeevan Jyoti theological institute for religious women and Jyotirmai, the state-wide planning body for the Catholic dioceses of Andhra Pradesh. He served as part-time lecturer at the National Biblical Catechetical and Liturgical Centre in BangaloreBangalore
Bengaluru , formerly called Bengaluru is the capital of the Indian state of Karnataka. Bangalore is nicknamed the Garden City and was once called a pensioner's paradise. Located on the Deccan Plateau in the south-eastern part of Karnataka, Bangalore is India's third most populous city and...
and was, for a number of years, a member of the National Advisory Council of the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of India.
At the same time he produced a number of books on Sacred Scripture including his well-known Background to the Gospels.
Research on the ministries convinced him that the exclusion of women must be attributed to cultural obstacles, not to Scripture or Tradition. He urged the Indian hierarchy to start a process of exploring the full ordination of women.
Worldwide responsibilities
After a spell as Vicar General of the Mill Hill MissionariesMill Hill Missionaries
Mill Hill Missionaries is a society of Catholic missionaries founded in 1866.-External links:* * * http://www.vocationsireland.com/missionpriests/millhill.html...
in London (1976–1982), he became Director of Housetop, an international centre of adult faith formation (1982–2009). He also lectured at the Missionary Institute London which was affiliated to Louvain Catholic University and Middlesex University
Middlesex University
Middlesex University is a university in north London, England. It is located in the historic county boundaries of Middlesex from which it takes its name. It is one of the post-1992 universities and is a member of Million+ working group...
(1983–1998).
During this time he pioneered the ‘Walking on Water’ series of video courses for adult faith formation which were co-produced by 15 countries in all continents. He wrote the scripts for nine half-hour film stories. He also produced the acclaimed 2 ½ - hour film Journey to the Centre of Love of which he was both the scriptwriter and the executive producer (see awards below).
Ministry for women
In 1977 John wrote Did Christ Rule out Women Priests? (McCrimmon, Great Wakering) in response to Inter InsignioresInter Insigniores
DECLARATION INTER INSIGNIORES ON THE QUESTION OF ADMISSION OF WOMEN TO THE MINISTERIAL PRIESTHOOD is a document issued on 15 October 1976 by the Sacred Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith. The document discusses the various theological and historical reasons that support the Catholic...
(1976), the declaration by the Congregation of the Doctrine of the Faith in which the Vatican’s reasons for excluding women are clearly spelled out.
In the decades that followed Rome stiffened its opposition to women’s ordination, culminating in Ordinatio Sacerdotalis
Ordinatio Sacerdotalis
Ordinatio Sacerdotalis is an Apostolic Letter issued from the Vatican by Pope John Paul II on 22 May 1994, whereby the Pope expounds the teaching of the Catholic Church's position requiring "the reservation of priestly ordination to men alone." In its clear proclamation that "the Church has no...
(1995) and subsequent documents by which the freedom of discussion by theologians was further curtailed. In protest, John resigned from his priestly ministry on 17 September 1998. His request for official reduction to the status of a lay person was acknowledged by Rome on 21 February 2000. On the 27th of May he married Jacqueline Clackson in a simple Church ceremony.
John has continued publishing his reasons for advocating a change in Church policy in a series of books, notably The Ordination of Women in the Catholic Church and No Women in Holy Orders? In 1999 he established a website that has grown out to be the largest internet library with documentation on the ordination of women.
Traditionalist Catholics decry John Wijngaards as a ‘public dissenter and heretic’. He himself maintains that speaking out does not undermine accepting the teaching authority of the Pope. He firmly opposes the illegal ordination of women outside the established structure of the Church, as is done in the so-called Roman Catholic Women Priests movement.
Awards
- Grand Prix, as scriptwriter for Journey to the Centre of Love, Tenth International Catholic Film Festival, Warsaw 1995.
- The Bronze Award, for the same film at the Film Fest Houston 1997.
- The Chris Award, at the Columbus Film Festival 1997.
- The Marga Klompé Award, 2005.
External links
- http://www.womenpriests.org/wijngaards/index.asp
- http://www.thebodyissacred.org
- http://www.womendeacons.org