The Jubilee Year of the Priest announced by Pope Benedict XVI begins on Friday. At least one group won’t be celebrating.

The Women’s Ordination Conference is denouncing the yearlong commemoration that it says is “intended to strengthen and reinvigorate the male, clerical priesthood.” The conference describes itself as the oldest and largest organization that works solely to ordain women as deacons, priests and bishops.

"While the Holy See prepares for a year-long focus on the priesthood and struggles to reinvigorate a damaged institution, Women's Ordination Conference calls for a celebration of the priesthood of the baptized,” incoming executive director Erin Saiz Hanna said in a statement. “Second Vatican Council documents state that all the baptized share in the ‘priestly, prophetic and kingly office of Christ.’ All people receive gifts of the Holy Spirit and all are called to use these gifts in service to the needs of our world.

“Instead of emphasizing the separation between the hierarchy and the people of God, WOC calls on the Vatican to return the church we love back to the example of Jesus, where all are invited and included.”

The conference says it is celebrating “the countless women and men who make a positive difference in our churches and communities every day.”

“Right now in every diocese, lay ecclesial ministers are working for justice and responding to the spiritual needs in our communities. There are over 31,000 lay ministers in the U.S.A., surpassing the 29,000 diocesan priests in the country. It is important to note that 80 percent of these ministers are women.”