Suzanne Avison Thiel is a woman of actions not words.

She has worn many hats including Associate of a religious

womens’ congregation, Eucharistic Minister, author

of the Inventory of Habilitation Programs for Mentally

Handicapped Adults, high school and college educator, and

board member of several non-profits organizations serving:

the mentally ill, dyslexic children, catholic schools, developmentally disabled adults, to name a few, and is currently also a neighborhood emergency (disaster response) team member.

She can best be described as a practical down-to-earth kind

of person.  Suzanne was ordained a priest on April 9, 2008 in

Stuttgart, Germany (by Bishops Fresen, Forster, Raming

and Reynolds).

As a native Oregonian, she has worked with emotionally-disturbed adolescents and teen parents, receiving Portland Public Schools

Foundation Excellence in Education Award in 2002. 

She is married to Bruce for the past 34 years. They have three

young adult sons and no grandchildren yet.

Suzanne has a MA in Education and additional graduate hours in counseling and psychology. She is Jesuit-trained in theology and philosophy from

the University of Santa Clara.  Her current ministries include

hospital chaplaincy, volunteer ministry at several assisted living facilities and a women’s prison and the shared administrative ministry of RCWP.

Suzanne has been called to the priesthood for over fifty years and simply stated—she says, “it is now time to match her behavior to her spiritual beliefs.”  suzthiel@yahoo.com

Suzanne is currently the elected RCWP USA-Western Region Administrator which she admits

is no small task---to be one of the leaders of such a gifted and talented group of deeply

spiritual and committed women.  “I pray,” she says, “that the Holy Spirit’s presence continues

to guide us in RCWP, helping us to develop our priestly ministries within the Roman Catholic Church

to be all that God have created us to be.” And I ask, please for the continued prayers of all those

who visit this website for the members of Roman Catholic Womenpriests.