News of Lillian Lewis’ ordination by the Roman Catholic Womenpriests led to reflection about the many men and women who are profound ministers in my life. If they chose, I would support them in their call to the priesthood. Not all one billion worldwide Catholics can relate well to men. Furthermore, not all men are…
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On the 20th anniversary of  Ordinatio Sacerdotalis, we were welcomed at the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith. More than 700 letters calling for discussion on women’s ordination were received by a top Vatican official, who accepted the letters and said: “This is amazing.” The stories and voices of those calling for women priests…
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Because woman’s work in the Catholic Church is never done and is invisible or silenced or decided by men and we’re the first to get excommunicated and our sex organs are more important than what God calls us to do and if we preach the Gospel we are “female machismos” and if we are ordained…
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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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The Beginning of Lent, 2014 Dear Cardinal O’ Malley I am writing to you and to all the ordinaries of the dioceses in the United States to ask you and your fellow bishops in your role as teachers to provide a clear and credible theological explanation of why women are not being ordained to the…
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Guided by Dr. Carolyn Osiek and Sr. Christine Scheck, executive director emerita of FutureChurch, a pilgrimage of about 20 people traveled to Rome to experience and study the archeological sites of women “officeholders” in the early Church.  On our first night of introductions together, it was obvious that the room could start a small faculty:…
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Today I met with one of the contributors to Leggendaria #103, Matilde Passa, a long-time journalist and feminist based in Rome. Her article, “Rinnovamento o mutazione?” begins: Valorizzare il genio femminile? Guardarsi dal machismo in gonnella? Ferve il dibattito, con una quantità e qualità di interventi che sollecitano ad allargare l’orizzonte In February I was…
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May 22, 2014 will mark the 20th anniversary of John Paul II’s Apostolic Letter Ordinatio Sacerdotalis in which he attempted to officially ban discussion about the ordination of women. In a now infamous July 28, 2013 interview with reporters at the end of World Youth Day, Pope Francis referenced this document when he said, “On the ordination of women, the church has…
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One year ago today, Erin and I were rushing from Fiumicino airport to a convent in Rome to gather our coalition and drive to Piazza Garibaldi to raise pink smoke over the Vatican. It seemed poetic at the time, to cross an ocean to light something on fire, but it was an precedented and powerful…
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Still revved up from International Women’s Day? Good!   For the next eleven days the UN Commission on the Status of Women is meeting in New York.  Governments, the United Nations and NGOs from around the world will meet over the next two weeks to evaluate the progress and remaining challenges towards meeting the Millennium Development…
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