A local woman was just kicked out of the Catholic Church because she broke what's become a strict rule.

She wanted to become a priest. But the Pope says that position is for men only.

For two years, Sister Bridget Mary Meehan has been saying mass at her Falls Church home as, she claims, a Roman Catholic priest.

On Friday, the Vatican decreed that women priests and those who ordain them incur latae sententiae, or automatic excommunication.

"I was wondering what took them so long," said Meehan.

Meehan was ordained on a boat in Pittsburgh by women bishops from Europe, part of a small but growing global movement.

She says the excommunication is, in a way, good news.

"Because we're really being recognized now as a movement within the church, even though they do not want to accept us quite yet," said Meehan.

The church holds that only men can be priests, citing the 12 male Apostles of Jesus. But meehan, who celebrates mass in her living room these days, argues women were priests in the early church--and says such drastic action isn't fair.

"Women are excommunicated. Priests, who are pedophiles, and bishops who covered it up, were not excommunicated. Now, does that really make sense?" She said.

But the church sees it differently.

"The excommunication will not stop us! In fact, it just encourages us to go forward, to continue to provide hope and to be good news to God's people," said Meehan.

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