Author: Kate McElwee

The real “clericalism and disrespect” is in Pope Francis’ understanding of women

For Immediate Release: 24 November 2020 In a soon-to-be released book,  Let Us Dream: The Path to a Better Future, Pope Francis criticizes those who believe women must be priests to be leaders in the Catholic Church, claiming it is “clericalist and disrespectful.” The Women’s Ordination Conference rejects this mischaracterization of the global movement working…
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Celebrate WOC’s 45th by becoming a sponsor

Women’s Ordination Conference (WOC) welcomes and appreciates your support as a sponsor of our 45th anniversary gala, Breaking Bread at the Table of Justice: A Celebration of Prophetic Persistence, November 27-30, 2020.  Support the mission of WOC and spread the word about your organization, business, or community by becoming a sponsor at one of the…
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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…
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New Christian Feminism?

This past July, the Latin American Academy of Catholic Leaders and various scholars offered a certificate program: “Women in public life: feminism and Catholic identity in the 21st century.” The topic, requested by Pope Francis, attempted to reflect on “authentic feminism” and the promotion of women in public life.  WOC’s Lilian Medina Romero enrolled in…
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U.S. Catholic Reform Organizations Stand in Solidarity with Fr. Tony Flannery

September 23, 2020 As Catholics working together for a renewed Church, we stand proudly in solidarity with Irish Redemptorist Fr. Tony Flannery in the face of continued threats and bullying from the Congregation of the Doctrine of the Faith (CDF) over his support for women’s ordination and the full dignity of LGBT+ persons. The Inquisition-era…
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Women’s Ordination Worldwide Stands in Solidarity with Tony Flannery

For Immediate Release: September 17, 2020 Fr. Tony Flannery is long-time friend and ally of Women’s Ordination Worldwide (WOW) and today we stand in solidarity with him as he resists the Vatican’s attempts to punish him for his advocacy for women’s equality and ordination in the Catholic Church.     In drawing attention to the tragic…
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Catholic women still don’t have suffrage in their church

Last week marked the 100th anniversary of the day that women’s right to vote was enshrined in the Constitution of the United States. The passage of the 19th amendment was the result of more than 80 years of women agitating, picketing and lobbying; some endured jail time and force-feedings when they went on strike to protest their…
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Order Liberating Liturgies 2.0

Many longtime WOC members will remember (or were contributors to) the original Liberating Liturgies, published in 1989. Decades later, we know that a lot has changed in our understanding of radical inclusion, intersectionality, and feminism(s), but we know that the need for liberating rituals, liturgies, poems, and celebrations is greater than ever. The selections in this…
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Stamping Out Injustice: a Feminist Penpal Network

Connect with a supporter of women’s ordination and support the U.S. Postal Service by joining the Feminist Penpal Network with fellow WOC members. Why not bring the snail (mail) back to the grassroots and make a new friend – what could be better in the time of physical distancing?  Fill out this form to sign…
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Progressive groups urge Catholics to vote their conscience

Read the full article by Madeleine Davison on NCRonline.org In a July open letter released ahead of the national party conventions, the Women-Church Convergence, a coalition of progressive, feminist Catholic organizations, urged Catholics to vote in November by listening to their consciences rather than their clergy. “We’re encouraging Catholics to search their own conscience and values and…
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