Ludmila's Story

During the communist era in Czechoslovakia, Catholic religious orders were banned, and most existing clergy were jailed, sent to labor camps, or forced into military service. Some were even murdered. It was in this climate that some church leaders decided to ordain a few remaining qualified individuals--including some women--to be priests.

The ordination of Ludmila Javorova was a secret hidden not only from the communist government in Czechoslovakia but also from other members of the remnant Catholic Church. Her ordination stirred controversy even among the members of the Koinotes, or hidden church. Bishop Felix Maria Davidek, a member of this underground group, decided to ordain her against their wishes. Here is her story, as told to Miriam Therese Winter.

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Felix, Ludmila, and Jan Blaha were the last to leave Koberice. Ludmila went directly home. Late that evening, Felix came to see her. She tells of what transpired. "He told me to get ready. He asked me if I were willing to receive ordination from his hands. He was prepared to do it. He said the decision was mine, but not to take too long to decide or delay in telling him. I wanted to know why he was in such a hurry. Why not wait with the ordination for maybe six months or a year? He replied: 'Believe me, I cannot delay it, because I do not know what will happen with us.' The times were so uncertain. He felt the pressure of that intensely. Still I persisted. Why this haste? What else was there behind it? He told me it was his burden that he felt it was 'a matter of conscience,' that we had already spoken about it at the Council. 'If we wait for a man to approve this,' he said, 'it will never happen, so we must go ahead without it.'

"'But why have you chosen me?' He replied: 'It is natural. It is one minute to twelve.' By this he meant that the issue of women priests was urgent and could no longer be ignored. Later he told me that new things are not received with open arms, and that if we want them to be accepted, we have to make them present. And how would he inform the pope? 'It is my responsibility to inform the pope. I will investigate every possible way to inform him personally. Now let's pray to the Holy Spirit.'

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