WILDFLOWERS OF THE GRASSROOTS:
a movement is an ecosystem where every part matters.
The Wildflowers of the Grassroots is our network of committed and passionate advocates of ordination justice whose diverse gifts and efforts create a beautiful field in which our dreams of a renewed church can flourish.
Once called WOC’s “Local Leaders Network,” we have planted new seeds with a new name and a fresh approach to what it means to be a grassroots movement. We believe that an empowered garden of unique skills and talents will create an abundance of people power (or flower power!) that will sustain and grow our efforts.
How to Become A Wildflower
Come as you are.
Regardless of any training you’ve had, or the extent of your history with WOC, we are all experts in our own experience. Your presence and energy are a gift to our movement. New and long-time members are most welcome!
Do what you can.
We believe in a flexible, seasonal, and voluntary model of grassroots commitment. Whether you have 5 minutes a month or want to get involved on a regular basis, we celebrate it all.
Join the call.
We’ll be hosting quarterly Zoom calls to continue to strengthen our grassroots – join us at our next meeting by registering here (or watch one of our previous introductory videos below). After coming to the meeting, we’ll give you room to discern what type of involvement makes sense for you (or not), and of course, support you along the way.
Ways to be a Wildflower
This is an ecosystem with many parts – find your place among the “flowers” below or create your own niche and tell us what you hope to do!
SOCIAL MEDIA
Be our “bellflowers,” ringing out our message by sharing our tweets, Facebook and Instagram posts, and Instagram stories, especially during events or special days (like the World Day of Prayer for Vocations).
LOCAL ACTIONS
Be our “periwinkles,” covering a lot of ground and thriving in a variety of conditions, by coordinating local events around WOC action days or to meet the interests of your local community. This could be an educational event; a social event; or a witness in front of your local cathedral!
THEOLOGY & EDUCATION
Be our “sunflowers,” pointing us to academic works dealing with topics surrounding women’s ordination and feminist theologies. You could contribute a scholarly essay to our biannual newsletter, NewWomen, NewChurch, or propose an educational webinar for the greater WOC community.
LITURGY & SPIRITUALITY
Be our “lilies” and create beauty by taking an active role in our online liturgies, including presiding, preaching, or reading; create written materials to be used for liturgical celebrations in coordination with WOC.
FUNDRAISING
Be our “irises,” boldly trumpeting WOC’s mission! We wouldn’t exist without the support of each and every donation, from $5 to $5,000. If you have expertise in fundraising, we invite you to help us continue to cultivate a broad base of support.
YOUR IDEAS AND GIFTS!
Maybe you excel at spreadsheets, or live in the D.C. area and want to seal envelopes for a mailing, or have archival materials you want to donate to WOC. Tell us your ideas—let’s plant as many seeds as needed for our ecosystem to thrive!
May 8, 2024 call: Storytelling
This session focused on the power of sharing our stories, and included time for reflection and sharing on the three questions on the image. We encourage you to take time to reflect on your own answers in order to learn to tell your own story of why you care about ordination justice in the Catholic church.
Introductory Call: February 8, 2024
During this session we were joined by three WOC board members who shared the call for nominations to the board and what their experiences have been like. We discussed a long and exciting list of upcoming opportunities to get involved.
Introductory call: November 8, 2023
In this call we celebrated the success of our October 6 global “Walk with Women” event, and welcomed organizers from Oklahoma and Illinois, who shared stories from their local walks.
Introductory call: August 9, 2023
We welcomed two representatives from the Washington DC-based group, WHIMM, to discuss building and sustaining an inclusive Eucharistic community. We also shared details about WOC’s upcoming witness in Rome this October, and how you can participate and organize a solidarity action locally.
Introductory call: May 11, 2023
Learn about our local leaders network and upcoming ways to get involved!
LEARN MOREIntroductory Call: Feb. 11, 2023
Learn more about how to get involved with our local leaders network.