First openly transgender Roman Catholic priest
Nancy Ledins
|
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Nancy Ledins, 1980
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Born
| William F. Griglak
(
1932-07-27
)
July 27, 1932
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Died
| July 18, 2017
(2017-07-18)
(aged 84)
|
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Alma mater
| Catholic University of America
|
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Occupation(s)
| Priest, psychologist, electrologist
|
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Nancy Ledins
(born
William F. Griglak
; July 27, 1932 ? July 18, 2017) was an American
Roman Catholic priest
who came out as a
transgender
woman. At the time of her
transition
she was still considered a priest even after having resigned from official church roles, due to her never
being returned to lay status
. In this capacity, she is considered by some to be the first
official woman priest
in the
history of the Catholic Church
and is the first openly transgender Catholic priest.
Early life and ministry
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]
Ledins was born on July 27, 1932, in Cleveland, Ohio. Presenting as male, she joined the Catholic
Missionaries of the Precious Blood
and became a priest in 1959. She served as a chaplain for the
United States Army
in Vietnam during the
Vietnam War
and served as a priest in Detroit and in Colorado.
[1]
She earned a PhD in psychology from the
Catholic University of America
.
[2]
Gender transition
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]
Ledins resigned from official church duties in 1969, but was still legally recognized by the Catholic Church as a priest, having not been returned to lay status. In 1970 she married a former nun and moved to Indiana, where she worked as a psychologist in the drug treatment section of the state's Commission on Mental Health. The couple later divorced, which was a requirement in order for a surgeon to perform a gender affirming operation. She received media attention during her gender transition and was considered by some to be the first official woman priest in the Catholic Church.
[1]
The media attention surrounding transition lead to Ledins being threatened, harassed, sent dead animals in the mail, shot at, and a victim of a car bombing.
[2]
On April 12, 1979, she underwent gender reassignment surgery in
Trinidad, Colorado
.
[1]
When interviewed by the
National Catholic Reporter
, Ledins stated that she was "technically still
ordained
" but declined offers to publicly celebrate
Mass
as Nancy Ledins.
[1]
[3]
Later life
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]
In 1977 and 1978 she served as the coordinator for the
Fantasia Fair
.
[4]
In 1996 she moved to
Charlotte, North Carolina
, and joined Wedgewood Church, an
LGBT affirming
Christian congregation affiliated with
American Baptist Churches USA
and the
United Church of Christ
.
[5]
[1]
She served as a minister at Wedgewood, where she preached, sang in the choir, served the Eucharist, and performed baptisms.
[2]
She also worked as an
electrologist
and a tax preparer.
[1]
[6]
[7]
Ledins died on July 18, 2017, in North Carolina.
[8]
[9]
References
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]