July 24th, 2018
Feast of St. Mary Magdalene – Readings This is only the second year since Pope Francis elevated the celebration of St. Mary Magdalene to a feast day, at the same level as the other apostles. Since her feast falls on a Sunday this year, many churches may not hear the readings. But, using the feast readings…
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July 7th, 2018
A couple of weeks ago, a man at liturgy in our small faith community suggested that women would never use violent tactics. In my inimitable fashion, I immediately shot back that no man can limit the tactics women choose to use, and that such distinctions – about women being better, more peaceful, more dialogic, than…
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June 30th, 2018
I’m sure you know that in Greek mythology the Amazons were a tribe of warrior women, located in the Middle East and around the Mediterranean. The name and concept persists in Europe through the Medieval and early Renaissance periods. Then it’s applied to a whole area of South America drained by a massive river system…
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November 7th, 2017
I don’t know. Maybe it was just the impact of the Harvey Weinstein and so many other revelations, and the “Me, Too” reactions, that finally opened my eyes to a “passive harassment” that happens each time at our very own Mass. Hopefully you are farther along in awareness than I sometimes tend to be, but…
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February 24th, 2016
Archbishop Robert Carlson won’t be stocking up on Thin Mints and Do-si-dos this year. He’s on a one-man crusade to rescue Catholic girls in the St. Louis Archdiocese (former home to ecclesiastical fashion icon, Cardinal Burke) from the corrupting influences of Girl Scouting. Having read the Archbishop’s letter, I’m quite certain it isn’t Catholic values…
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July 15th, 2015
Along with individual speakers, we have assembled three robust panels for the WOW 2015 Conference on the themes: “Break the Silence” – male priests who speak out for women’s equality in the Church, including a priest in good standing who will “break his silence” on the panel; “Survivor Justice” – a panel focused on the abuse crisis…
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June 12th, 2015
A few weeks ago I was invited to speak at the 5th annual symposium of “Donne e Religioni” called, “Sottomissione o libero arbitrio: La condizione femminile come indicatore di progresso e crescita culturale e sociale.” (Submission or free will: the status of women as an indicator of progress and cultural and social growth.) The two-day event…
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February 9th, 2015
Last week I had the opportunity to meet an amazing young German woman, vocal about her call to the priesthood visiting Rome with her parish. Jacqueline Straub, her parish priest and I sat down for coffee and cornetti… Jacqueline was recently featured on a “LifeLinks” series called #ForChristsSake, highlighting the stories of three people who are…
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April 7th, 2014
On the recommendation of a WOC member, Sr. Beth, I had the opportunity to sit down to tea with two Italian members of her congregation, the Franciscan Sisters of the Poor here in Rome. “Why did Sr. Beth tell you to contact me?” Spunky didn’t quite translate as we both grabbed words and charades between…
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