April 24th, 2021

Certain Outcomes

“It stands out to me that, although a girl passing by, Darnella Frazier, had the presence of mind to record a video of the entire encounter on her cell phone so we could all see what happened entirely too clearly, we were not certain of the outcome.” Heather Cox Richardson’s Letters from an American gives…
Read more

April 22nd, 2021

Should the Holy See continue to enjoy their Permanent Observer status in the United Nations?

[Editor’s Note: WOC is an NGO in consultative status with the Economic and Social Council of the UN. Janet Antico is one of WOC’s representatives at the UN and offers this critique of UN Security Council Resolution 1325.] UN Security Council Resolution 1325 ~ Women, Peace, and Security The Holy See enjoys the privilege of…
Read more

April 20th, 2021

A Communion for Earth Day

Suppose you held out your hand, and I – or any member of your community or parish or friendship circle – placed into it three gifts: one corn kernel, one speckled bean, one pumpkin seed. You would then hold in your hand the Indigenous people’s “three sisters” which Native American writer and professor of botany,…
Read more

April 17th, 2021

Back to the Priesthood

Many people are still writing about Hans Küng and church blessings for those in same-sex unions, but I’m going to shift back to the priesthood. Specifically, to Pope Francis’ call for a three-day symposium in February 2022 to discuss the issues involved. I have to hand it to him; he acts on his belief that…
Read more

April 15th, 2021

Sustainable and resilient recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic: Catholic advocates call the Holy See to account

[Editor’s Note: As an NGO in consultative status with the UN, WOC can submit written statements to ECOSOC meetings. The following statement is being submitted to the ECOSOC High-level segment on the theme “Sustainable and resilient recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic, that promotes the economic, social and environmental dimensions of sustainable development: Building an inclusive…
Read more

April 13th, 2021

Palpable Silence

“Am I able to trust that the tombs of my life are all gateways to resurrection?”                                                                                      – Sr. Joan Chittister The silence after Easter seems so different from the silence of Lent. We have just been through a terrible and magnificent drama. We have been through a period of wrenching, profound questioning followed by a…
Read more

April 10th, 2021

Two Old Books

The only two books with broken bindings in my Catholic bookcase are my sister’s Baltimore Catechism and On Being a Christian by Hans Küng. Much used, the books reflect an ideological transition in the lifetime of the Vatican II generation. Küng’s was a gift from my late friend Mary Ellen Anderson; the binding is broken…
Read more

March 30th, 2021

Lent Unfolding Into Easter

Early in our marriage, my husband and I were reading side by side in bed when I burst into laughter. I was reading a book called Seeds of Hope, and he was reading one called The Coming Disaster. Talk about competing world views! We did manage to get through over twenty five years of rosy-colored-glasses…
Read more

March 27th, 2021

Conversation

Dan Stockman begins his retrospective of Sister Simone Campbell’s career at Network with the bounce that Vatican criticism gave to the organization: new support, energy, and money. She said what I say every time the Vatican condemns women’s ordination: “We often joked that we should send the Vatican a thank-you note.”  This is a reflection…
Read more

March 23rd, 2021

Standing With, For, and As the Beloved

[Editor’s Note: This blog post is originally about a Philadelphia-specific action for women’s ordination. To read how you can participate in our worldwide Day of Prayer for Women’s Ordination, no matter your geographic location, scroll to the end!] On the Sunday of the Baptism of Jesus in which he is told he is God’s beloved,…
Read more