Tag: pope francis

It seems almost surgical, the excision of women’s ordination from the conversation. This week, when I watched the BBC documentary “The Women Fighting to be Priests” on YouTube, I was thrilled with the stories of two Roman Catholic Women Priests, Fr. Anne and Olga Lucia Alvarez. Then Kate McElwee of WOC calmly presents the Vatican situation,…
Read more

“Francis is Stuck. Let me count the ways.” That was my first title for this blog. I saw no change in what he said to a gathering of people who work at America magazine. Deliberately diverse, the group posed questions one after another. Executive editor Kerry Weber was third and set up her first question:…
Read more

Were you expecting me to write about anything else? Two weeks ago, I picked Seattle Archbishop Paul Etienne as the most progressive of the ten nominees for President of the USCCB. He got 30 votes on the first ballot and 37 on the second. My second choice was Daniel Flores, Bishop of Brownsville, because he…
Read more

They surprise me, these Bishops. A measure of transparency surrounds the USCCB meeting next Tuesday and Wednesday. A news release lists items on the agenda for the plenary sessions with links to relevant documents. There’s a live stream and social media coverage. WOW! But before I knew all this, I made a list of some…
Read more

Do you say this to yourself when you see another blog from me about the Synod? I have to confess I think that myself. What you need to know is that Southeastern Pennsylvania Women’s Ordination Conference, myself included, has demonstrated for forty years outside the Cathedral. While we know that we have caused some people…
Read more

Our Joan of Arc is inspiring me again this week (see March 31 post). Emma Gonzalez is quoted by Joan Walsh in The Nation: About the flurry of inadequate but promising gun-safety measures passed [into law] since Parkland, she says: “It feels like: they tried to take a giant step—and then they tripped. I’m not…
Read more

I was not going to write about this article by Ross Douthat, published on the front page of Sunday’s New York Times “Currents” section.  But half the page is such a beautiful photo I cannot resist. Pope Francis is facing the Holy Door of St. Peter’s, his hands on two bronze panels with Latin inscriptions.…
Read more

 Yesterday, Pope Francis made headlines when he agreed  to set up a commission to study opening the diaconate to women. The unexpected news brought much joy to the many women who are called to serve as deacons in the Church.  Maria Angelika Fromm is one of those women. Upon hearing the news, Angelika wrote to WOC: My first…
Read more

  Another interview with Pope Francis published in Italy and Argentina by the daily Corriere della Sera, made headlines yesterday, covering topics such as contraception, civil unions, Humanae Vitae, “Papal fame,” and the role of women in the church. What did Pope Francis say about women in the Church? Come verrà promosso il ruolo della donna nella Chiesa? «È vero…
Read more

March 2014 marks the one year anniversary of the election of Pope Francis.  It has been a year of remarkable activity, media attention and excitement.  “Man of the Year” for Time Magazine, on the cover of Rolling Stone, quoted by people of all denominations, Francis has made a significant mark on the world community.  As Catholics interested in working…
Read more