Press Releases

August 2nd, 2018

#CatholicToo Organizations Condemn Recent Wave of Clergy Abuse Allegations, Thank Women Religious and Other Survivors For Coming Forward

August 2, 2018 For Immediate Release Three Catholic reform organizations, Call To Action, FutureChurch and Women’s Ordination Conference, are joining their voices in solidarity with the many women religious who came forward this week with accusations of sexual assault by clergy. “Catholics everywhere owe a debt of gratitude to these sisters, who at great risk…
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June 23rd, 2018

WOW call on Pope Francis to dialogue with women called to priesthood

For Immediate Release: June 23, 2018 Women’s Ordination Worldwide (WOW) is deeply disappointed by Pope Francis’ reiteration of the “closed door” stance on women’s ordination.  We call on Pope Francis to lead by example and dialogue with the many women who are called to priesthood. The Vatican’s repeated attempts to limit God’s priestly call to…
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June 21st, 2018

Women’s Ordination Advocates Reject Pope Francis’ “Closed Door” on God’s Call

June 21, 2018 For Immediate Release Contacts: Kate McElwee, Executive Director kmcelwee@womensordination.org +1.607.725.1364, +39 393 692 2100 (Rome, Italy) Katie Lacz, Program Associate klacz@womensordination.org 518-928-4088 (Colorado, U.S.) Women’s Ordination Conference reaffirms its stance that the ban on the ordination of women is not a “closed door,” contrary to statements from Pope Francis in an interview…
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June 18th, 2018

Uniting for a Positive Resistance in Support of Pope Francis

For Immediate Release Press Release of the “International Catholic Reform Network” (ICRN) June 16, 2018 Pezinok/Slovakia: Fifty Catholics from 18 countries and 4 continents gathered near Bratislava, Slovakia from June 11 – 15, 2018.  Formed as the International Catholic Reform Network (icrn.info) in 2013, the participants of this year’s conference learned from members of the…
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May 29th, 2018

Response to Archbishop Ladaria’s Statements on Ordinatio Sacerdotalis

May 29, 2018 For Immediate Release Contacts: Kate McElwee, Executive Director kmcelwee@womensordination.org +1.607.725.1364, +39 393 692 2100 (Rome, Italy) Katie Lacz, Program Associate klacz@womensordination.org 518-928-4088 (Colorado, U.S.)   The Women’s Ordination Conference is deeply dismayed by the 29 May 2018 article published by Luis Ladaria, Prefect of the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith, in…
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May 22nd, 2018

Cardinal Walter Brandmüller on Women’s Ordination

May 22, 2018  For Immediate Release Contact: Kate McElwee, Executive Director kmcelwee@womensordination.org +1.607.725.1364 The Women’s Ordination Conference must speak out against any suggestion that the ordination of women, or even the discussion of it, is heretical. We therefore affirm that Cardinal Walter Brandmüller’s recent comments that those who advocate for women’s ordination “fulfill the elements…
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May 16th, 2018

Catholic organizations launch new effort, “Listening to Women,” to initiate dialogue, pastoral care

For Immediate Release Contacts: Kate McElwee, Executive Director of Women’s Ordination Conference, kmcelwee@womensordination.org, USA: +1 607-725-1364, Italy: +39 393 692 2100 Gloria Ulterino, RAPPORT, glorialbf@aol.com United States and Australia:  A new collaboration, “Listening to Women” (www.listeningtowomen.org), aims to create safe spaces for women to assess a parish’s pastoral care, spiritual growth, and opportunities for women…
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May 15th, 2018

Leading German politician supports women priests

The International Women’s Ordination Worldwide (WOW), which was founded at the first Women’s Synod in 1996 in Gmunden, Austria, and is committed to women in the diaconate and priesthood in the worldwide Roman Catholic Church, confirming and documenting their vocations, welcomes the explicit and clear statement of the new General Secretary of the Christian Democratic…
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May 7th, 2018

Women-Church Convergence Statement against Gun Violence

The letter below was sent by Members of Women-Church Convergence to the Student Leaders of March for Our Lives in Parkland, Florida.   May 4, 2018             Dear Anti-Gun Violence Leaders,             We, religious feminists rooted in the Catholic tradition, greet, applaud, and join you in your efforts to eradicate gun violence. Your courageous and…
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May 7th, 2018

WOW supports Cardinal’s call for a Council to review the question of women’s ordination

May 4, 2018 In a wide-ranging interview with Salzburger Nachrichten, Vienna Cardinal Christoph Schönborn, and member of the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith, says a future Council should review the question of the ordination of women as deacons, priests and bishops. Responding to a “developing need,” Schönborn believes these “big questions” should not…
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