Vocations Awareness Week 2020

From November 1-9, 2020, supporters of ordination justice gathered (virtually) for a parallel “Vocations Awareness Week” to call for the inclusion of women and non-binary people in all ordained ministries.

We should not wait to be perfect in order to respond with our generous “yes,” nor be fearful of our limitations and sins, but instead open our hearts to the voice of the Lord. To listen to that voice, to discern our personal mission in the Church and the world, and at last to live it in the today that God gives us.” (Pope Francis, 2018)

We hosted a full slate of events that included the launch of our Lucile Murray Durkin Scholarship application and a Zoom conversation with ordained women who discussed their experiences and answered questions about formation with groups like the Roman Catholic Women Priests and the Association of Roman Catholic Women Priests.

We also held a Form Swarm where we flooded the inboxes of diocesan vocations directors and orders around the country with messages from women and non-binary people who feel called to ordination, as well as from people who support the ordination of all genders. Here are some of the responses we got:

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The replies to our form swarm from the hierarchy demonstrate just our important our work is. We refuse to be silenced and we will continue to challenge arguments that uphold discrimination with persistence and courage.

Vocations Awareness Week also saw the release of our first-of-its-kind conversation with His Eminence, Cardinal Cartone. But, as you’ll see in the video (just like in real life), the Cardinal was stiff and silent on the issue of women’s ordination. But also just like in real life, even though the Cardinal won’t talk to us, we can still talk to him!

Over the course of the week, we found the Cardinal in lots of different places except the place where he should be—engaged in conversation about ordination justice.

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Did you miss Vocations Awareness Week but still want to participate?

Advocating for ordination justice is an everyday witness at the Women’s Ordination Conference, so there are still ways to engage! Here’s how:

1. Continue our form swarm! Most of these vocations directors and websites get minimal interaction, so even a couple of emails from women or non-binary people and their supporters will make a big impact.

Are you in England or Wales? Find your local diocesan vocations director at this link!

Tracking the emails in our swarm is super important so we know who we’re talking to and who’s responding to us. Email Anna after you’ve sent your letters so she can track them.

2. Help us flatten the patriarchy with the Cardboard Cardinal.

• Download your very own Cardboard Cardinal below.
• Take pictures of him, put him into creative settings, show us where you’ve found the Cardboard Cardinal.
• Tag us and include the #CardboardCardinal hashtag.

3. You can still download our action toolkit that we put together for the week. It has the form swarm templates, social media hashtags to share, and more!

Every week is Vocations Awareness Week at WOC. Join us!