Denise Wyss facts for kids
Denise Wyss (born on September 11, 1965) is a Swiss priest and counselor. She made history as the first woman to become a priest in the Old Catholic Church. Before becoming a priest in 2000, she worked as a deaconess.
About Denise Wyss
Early Life and Studies
Denise Wyss was born in 1965 and grew up in Solothurn, Switzerland. She was raised in the Catholic faith. After finishing high school in 1984, she studied Roman Catholic theology at the University of Lucerne from 1986 to 1988.
However, Wyss felt uncomfortable with the traditional structure of the Catholic Church. She later decided to stop her studies and left the Catholic Church. In 1990, she joined the Old Catholic Church. She finished her theology studies at the University of Bern in 1995.
Becoming a Priest
In 1997, Denise Wyss became a deaconess in Solothurn. A deaconess is a woman who helps with church duties. She worked as a parish leader in Trimbach from 1998 to 2000. She also served as a deaconess in Baden-Brugg in 1999.
On February 19, 2000, Denise Wyss was ordained as an Old Catholic priest. This special ceremony took place at the Franziskanerkirche in Solothurn. She was the very first woman to become a priest in the Old Catholic Church. Archbishop Antonius Jan Glazemaker performed her ordination.
Later Career and Advocacy
In 2004, Wyss took a break from her full-time church duties to study more. She remained a member of the clergy, which means she was still a priest. She started her own practice as a counselor, helping people with their thoughts and feelings.
In 2007, she returned to working as a priest part-time in the Obermumpf-Wallbach parish. On November 1, 2008, she became a pastor in the Laufen parish. In July 2014, Wyss became the pastor for the Christ-Catholic parish of Baselland. She is a strong supporter of ecumenism, which means working to bring different Christian churches closer together.
