Category: Vatican

This is a quote from John Allen in Crux, who notes that every twenty years, “the Vatican has felt compelled to issue a major statement on the role of women.” Leave it up to Crux to remind us of Inter Insigniores in 1976 and Ordinatio Sacerdotalis in 1994. This time the major statement has been…
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Well, it’s not quite that bad. But it’s a bad situation. You may think it’s just in your parish, but it’s not only there. Just last week, a new book was published in Italy and Cardinal Robert Sarah, prefect of the Congregation for Divine Worship and the Sacraments, wrote the preface. Rita Ferrone in Commonweal…
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I am indebted to Simone Campbell for this week’s theme, courtesy of Marian Ronan. In The Georgetown Voice, the ever-revolutionary Campbell “then took audience questions, leading to a profession of her personal ‘heresy,’ her belief that women can and should be ordained. “’Ordination is an extension of baptism, and there are different kinds of baptism……
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Merriam-Webster users are getting themselves up to date with feminism, the word of the year. Rather than a few linguists deciding on a new and different word every year, the online dictionary can count the number of times people look something up, so this honor is a true reflection of popular interest. Congratulate yourself, feminists!…
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This Pope is so infuriating. Do you remember the great video done a few years ago by WOC with really embarrassing Francis quotes about women? (“Vatican: It’s a Man’s World“) Things have not improved significantly in that department, unfortunately. On the other hand, he’s pastoral. That’s my conclusion in reading about the current kerfuffle involving…
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For the fourth time, the women of Voices of Faith gathered at the Vatican on International Women’s Day (March 8) for a storytelling and conversation series highlighting women’s resilience and courage. This year’s theme focused on peace-building and women’s unique role as first responders and negotiators in crisis, conflict regions and communities in need. Expectations for this year’s conversation…
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In it’s third year, the “Voices of Faith” project, hosted at the Vatican’s Casina Pio IV on International Women’s Day, brought together men and women in this Jubilee year, under the theme “Mercy Requires Courage.” I was honored to be included as a guest for the second time, and am continually grateful for the powerful…
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For the past few weeks in Rome there have been countless celebrations of “50 years since” Vatican II created commissions, congregations, documents, you name it. A group called “Council 50” is joining the party this weekend with their own international conference. The effort will bring 100 delegates and participants from around the world: Burkina-Faso, Cameroon,…
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Last week two colleagues and I went to the Pontifical Council for Culture to meet with a top secretary to share about our working group in Rome and to learn more about the “Women’s Consultation Group” of the Council. Our 1.5 hour meeting, in Italian, was very friendly and open. The official we met with…
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Sr. Carmen Sammut, a Missionary Sister of Our Lady of Africa originally from Malta and president of the International Union of Superior Generals (UISG) shared her experience as a non-voting auditor of the recent Synod on the Family this morning in Rome. Nearly 125 attended the public event to hear Sr. Carmen’s perspective on the…
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