
                         Roanoke Times
                 Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.

DATE: MONDAY, July 9, 1990                   TAG: 9007100444
SECTION: EDITORIAL                    PAGE: A6   EDITION: METRO 
SOURCE: 
DATELINE:                                 LENGTH: Short

NON-EVENT/ YOU MISSED NOTHING

AT FIRST it seemed that the invitation was outdated. Then one noticed that it was for June 31, 1990, a date that occurs nowhere on the calendar.

That didn't matter, because the invitation was to a non-event: "The Women's Ordination Conference," it says, "cordially invites you not to attend the First Annual Non-Ordination. Not scheduled to be ordained: Women."

By now you may have deduced that this has to do with women's becoming priests, a cause pushed on the Roman Catholic Church for 15 years by the Women's Ordination Conference. Nothing has happened in that time; so the Fairfax-based organization decided, tongue in cheek, to observe its non-success with a non-event.

It was to be followed, said the invitation, by a non-reception that would not be held at the Cathedral School. Placido Domingo would not perform with the Vatican Boys' Choir, and John Cardinal O'Connor would not deliver the homily. Hill & Knowlton, a public-relations company hired by Catholic bishops for $5 million to promote their position against abortion, would not be handling publicity for the non-happening.

With everything it was not, this was a fund-raiser for WOC. Those contacted were not asked to contribute nothing. Still, staging such non-events would seem to create a problem. What does one do for an encore? Perhaps the pope himself will not appear. Presumably the Women's Ordination Conference will tell us anon. For now, we're nonplused.

by CNB