November 17th, 2017
This question was raised in my mind at a meeting this fall. When the speaker mentioned “inclusive language” in the context of liturgical work, a listener interpreted it to mean something like promoting diversity. But that is not it at all, at least for me and for my small faith community, which modifies language in…
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September 14th, 2017
I was in my late teens when I first read the life of Thérèse of Lisieux (1873-1897), a gift book from a devoted aunt who sought to encourage vocations in all her nephews and nieces. It is hard to explain my subsequent fascination with this French nun who died of consumption at age 24 without…
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September 11th, 2017
The following are excerpts from an interview between WOC executive director, Kate McElwee (KM) and Cindi “Sam” Bowns (SB) first published in the Spring 2017 issue of New Women, New Church. Sam has discerned a vocation to the diaconate and advocates for the restoration of ordained women deacons in the Roman Catholic Church. A PDF version…
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September 10th, 2017
In today’s Gospel Jesus teaches the disciples how to seek reconciliation. This is clearly something the disciples needed, and something that our world, and each of us gathered here need today. Many of us here are seeking reconciliation, because our brother has sinned against us. Our Mother Church has sinned against us. Jesus says “If…
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August 10th, 2017
Without question, the subject of this amazing book, Jane Crow: The Life of Pauli Murray, is the most influential woman of the 20th century, whom we know the least about! Pauli Murray was a lawyer who worked on the most powerful civil rights legislation of her day, was affiliated with the ACLU, the EEOC, National…
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February 17th, 2017
I am not sure how it started – curiosity, maybe. But I got it in my mind to visit women clergy in my town. I guess I have wanted to see what it would be like to see a woman pastor in action. After all, in my path to this moment, the ordination of Episcopal…
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February 7th, 2017
Thanks to Bridget Power for this special guest post on her short documentary film, Agayutem Yui (People of God), exploring the leadership and spirituality of lay, Yup’ik, Catholic women. __________________________________________________________________________________ I made Agayutem Yui (People of God) in an attempt to explore how lay, Yup’ik, Catholic women like Susan Murphy, Yuagiisaq Lena Long, and Masmaruss’ak Lilly Afcan…
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December 11th, 2016
This Advent, The Table will feature weekly reflections from Deacon Christine Haider-Winnett, RCWP, based on the liturgical readings for that week. This week’s readings can be found here. Homilies and reflections on The Table are part of a new “Preaching Equality” series from WOC. Here in Berkeley, we’ve had a rainier than usual start to our…
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December 7th, 2016
Spanish theologian, Emma Martínez Ocaña was welcomed by the Rome-based, Justice, Peace and Integrity of Creation working group on the “Collaboration of Women and Men in Ministry,” last week. Well-known amongst Spanish-speaking religious communities, Ocaña’s work is poetic and deceptively simple, engaging deep spiritual questions of gender, Jesus, and the cosmos. Ocaña crafted a dreamscape…
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October 18th, 2016
The award-winning documentary, Radical Grace, made its Italian debut at the 19th annual Religion Today Film Festival last Thursday evening in Trento. As the foremost international film festival dedicated to showcasing religion and culture, Religion Today brought together 53 films from 26 countries, selected from more than 270 applications during its two-week run. At the heart…
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