Author: Kate McElwee

Women’s Ordination Worldwide light up the Vatican

Campaigners shine a light on the Vatican’s exclusion of women ahead of historic meeting For Immediate release: 27 August 2022 On the eve of Pope Francis’ all-male consistory, Women’s Ordination Worldwide (WOW) shined a bright light on one of the greatest cons-in-history: the exclusion of women from ordained ministry. In a stealth operation on the…
Read more

Our conSISTER-y of RESIST-ory succeeded!

On the eve of Pope Francis’ consistory, where he created 20 new male cardinals, Women’s Ordination Conference and our partners in mischief, Women’s Ordination Worldwide, made our presence known. While the Vatican attempts to keep women in the shadows, our international delegation shined many a bright light on one of the greatest cons-in-history: the exclusion…
Read more

Celebrating the Feast of Mary Magdalene 2022

On the feast of St. Mary Magdalene, we remember how she became the “Apostle to the Apostles” by letting her voice carry the Good News of Jesus’ resurrection. The clarity of her message has carried forth since the time of the Gospels as a brave proclamation of what seemed impossible. This feast day, we ask…
Read more

Three women can help name new bishops, the Pope decides

WOC Executive Director, Kate McElwee, was quoted in several outlets in response to Pope Francis’ appointment of three women to the Dicastery for Bishops, including: The Daily Mail The Times (London) AFP

WOC welcomes appointment of women to the Dicastery for Bishops

For Immediate Release: July 13, 2022 The Women’s Ordination Conference welcomes Pope Francis’ July 13, 2022 appointment of three women, Sr. Raffaella Petrini, F.S.E., Sr. Yvonne Reungoat, F.M.A., and Dr. Maria Lia Zervino, to the Dicastery for Bishops as an important step in removing all barriers to women’s full participation in the life of the…
Read more

Women’s Ordination Advocates call on the church to “Walk with Women”

Media Advisory: June 1, 2022 Members of the Women’s Ordination Conference (WOC) will gather outside Holy Name Cathedral in Chicago on Pentecost Sunday, June 5th 2022, at 2 pm, calling the church to “journey together” with women who long to be embraced as equals in Christ. The witness is in response to the Pope Francis’…
Read more

Open the door!

On the anniversary of the “Papal No,” please consider supporting the Women’s Ordination Conference with a donation today.

CNN: Opinion: The Pope puts a crack in the Catholic Church’s ‘stained glass ceiling’

(CNN) Pope Francis put another crack in the Catholic Church’s “stained glass ceiling” last week, announcing reforms that will allow women to head some Vatican offices. The Vatican is now free to hire the best person for these jobs, instead of being limited to an ever-shrinking group of cassocked men. The news caught some by…
Read more

WOC Applauds Francis’ Reorganization of Vatican Offices

March 22, 2022 The Women’s Ordination Conference applauds Pope Francis’ reorganization of the Vatican’s governing departments in his updated Apostolic Constitution, Praedicate Evangelium (“Preach the Gospel”). Most significantly, the constitution expands leadership roles once reserved for cardinals or bishops to laypeople, including women. WOC supports this renewed emphasis on “canonical mission,” or baptism, as the…
Read more

NCR: Women’s ordination, synodality and hope for the future

Read Executive Editor Heidi Schlumpf’s March 11, 2022 column in NCR: As the second anniversary of the COVID-19 pandemic approaches, I recall (with the aid of Google Calendar) that my last work trip before the lockdown was in January 2020 to cover the lead-up to the Democratic presidential primary in Iowa. I interviewed Marianne Williamson the night…
Read more