Catholic Reform Groups Voice Vision of Church Under Pope Benedict XVI

MEDIA ADVISORY

For Immediate Release April 22, 2005

Contact: Aisha Taylor, 703 352-1006

Catholic reform groups convene press conference to voice vision for church under Pope Benedict XVI

WASHINGTON, DC: On the day of Pope Benedict XVI’s Ceremony of Investiture — a Mass which will formally begin his pontificate — national progressive Catholic reform groups will host a press conference at the Virginia Theological Seminary, 3737 Seminary RD in Alexandria, Va. on Sunday, April 24 th at 12:15pm. The press conference will be held in Aspinwall Hall in the Goodwin Board Room.

The progressive Catholic reform groups will release a general statement on their vision for the Roman Catholic Church with Joseph Ratzinger as the newly elected Pope.

Leaders from these groups will also make statements. These leaders include Anthony Padovano of CORPUS: Married Priests Federation and Rea Howarth of Catholics Speak Out — who both recently returned from Rome and conducted seminars with the International Movement of We are Church — Joy Barnes of the Women’s Ordination Conference, working for women priests; Sr. Bridget Mary Meehan of Women-Church Convergence, who convened the “Open Conclave” online conversation; and Aisha Taylor of the Young Feminist Network, working to connect the faith and progressive values of young adult Catholics.

Invited speakers include Sr. Jeannine Gramick and Francis DeBernardo of New Ways Ministry for gay and lesbian Catholics; Bill Thompson of Call to Action, working for Vatican II reforms; and press statements from Catholics for a Free Choice, advancing sexual and reproductive ethics.

Representatives from twenty progressive national and regional Catholic reform organizations will be available for comment as well.

The press conference is not affiliated with the Virginia Theological Seminary.