Author: Kate McElwee

WOW responds to Voices of Faith event speakers

For Immediate Release: 2 February 2018 Women’s Ordination Worldwide (WOW) notes with disappointment the news that organizers for a fifth annual event at the Vatican for International Women’s Day were told they could not feature former Irish president Mary McAleese and Ugandan activist Ssenfuka Joanita Warry. Pope Francis has called repeatedly for fearless dialogue in the church. Yet, within…
Read more

Feminism and Faith in Union

As weavers of feminism and faith, the Women’s Ordination Conference is excited to share a project called Feminism & Faith in Union, a collaboration between Call To Action, FutureChurch, The Women Who Stayed, and WOC on the anniversary weekend of the global Women’s Marches (January 20-21). This “Weekend of Women” is expected to be a global…
Read more

Catholics launch initiative to celebrate feminism, activism, faith (Windy City Times)

New York, NY and global locations: Inspired by the global women’s marches one year ago, and aware that the Roman Catholic Church and religious institutions around the world are in dire need of an infusion of feminist energy and truth, The Women Who Stayed, FutureChurch, Women’s Ordination Conference, and Call To Action announce the launch…
Read more

Catholics Launch “Feminism & Faith in Union” Initiative to Celebrate Feminism, Activism and Faith.

January 9, 2018 Contact: Deborah Rose-Milavec, Executive Director of FutureChurch debrose@futurechurch.org Lizzie Berne DeGear, The Women Who Stayed, a Ministry of The Church of St. Francis Xavier thewomenwhostayed@gmail.com Kate McElwee, Executive Director of the Women’s Ordination Conference kmcelwee@womensordination.org Zach Johnson, Executive Director of Call To Action zach@cta-usa.org New York, NY and global locations: Inspired by the…
Read more

Catholic organizations announce new initiative, #CatholicToo

Release date: December 21, 2017 Catholic organizations announce new initiative, #CatholicToo, to create space for women to share their stories about the effects of sexism and misogyny within the Church and to take action to end it. Contact: Zachary Johnson, Executive Director, Call To Action 773-988-2352, zach@cta-usa.org Kate McElwee, Executive Director, Women’s Ordination Conference 607.725.1364,…
Read more

Catholics and #MeToo

Tarana Burke created the phrase “Me Too” in 2006 as part of a grassroots campaign to promote “empowerment through empathy” among women of color who have experienced sexual abuse.  Now in a watershed moment, #MeToo has inspired a cultural reckoning that is just beginning to shed light on our deeply rooted systems of oppression. Heartbreaking, inspiring and familiar:…
Read more

A Moment and a Movement: Women-Church says #MeToo, #WeToo

Contact:  Marianne Duddy-Burke, 617-669-7810 Kate McElwee, 607-725-1364 The undersigned groups of Women-Church Convergence (W-CC) issued the following statement: As a Catholic-rooted, feminist coalition, Women-Church Convergence (W-CC) resoundingly stands with those who have come forward to share their stories of sexual harassment, assault, and violence. We mark this #MeToo moment as a renewed call to listen to…
Read more

The Comprehensive Catholic Lectionary

Throughout the Advent and Christmas seasons, the Women’s Ordination Conference invites you to use the Comprehensive Catholic Lectionary. This unique resource aims to include every significant story about women in the Bible not included in the canonical Sunday lectionary, eliminate exclusive language for God and human beings, and to educate readers and communities to a spectrum of Biblical theologies. Developed by…
Read more

Ordain Women Banner Flies in Rome, Advocates for women’s ordination witness across US

The “Little Flowers” of the Grassroots were in full bloom  witnessing around the world for women’s ordination in honor of the feast day of St. Therese of Lisieux (October 1), who herself was called to the priesthood. A 19th century French Carmelite nun and Doctor of the Church, St. Therese wrote in her journals and…
Read more

“Ordain Women” banner flies in front of St. Peter’s in Rome

Rome, Italy: In celebration of the feast day of St. Therese of Lisieux, a purple banner reading “Ordain Women” was placed on the Sant’Angelo bridge just in front of St. Peter’s Basilica in Rome Oct. 1. St. Therese, who herself longed to be a priest, is one of countless women whose vocations continue to be…
Read more