A New Focus: WOC's Three Ministries

In 2003, WOC’s Board of Directors launched the Three Ministries in order to encompass the different opinions and strategies regarding the best way to go about advocating women’s full inclusion in all ordained ministries of the Catholic Church. They focus WOC’s programming on the three most common areas of thought and action within the movement. Within the ministries themselves, there are differences of opinion and strategy, and by creating only three, we are not attempting to say there are only three perspectives. Like any social movement, we need a continuum of actions to bring about our vision. We need some people to be public in their witness for women’s ordination to keep attention on the issue, we need some to serve as examples of women in ministry within Roman Catholic structures, and we need some to take the steps they deem necessary to live out their call right now.

As we move forward, we must maintain integrity to our Catholic roots and traditions, yet we must also be open to the new directions and expanded horizons of the Holy Spirit. This is probably the most difficult struggle the movement faces right now. What are the elements that we hold on to—what is essential to our catholic identity? Conversely, what prophetic examples and actions is the Holy Spirit leading us to? Right now, we must figure out how to hold these two questions in tension as we work together to answer them. And, we must not silence each other when differences arise. We must engage our differences, be honest with each other, and learn from our various perspectives. The Three Ministries provide a way to unite the movement so we can learn from our different perspectives and opinions. When we are united, we are better equipped to create the constantly renewing priestly ministry that Jesus and his disciples modeled for us.

• Ministry of Irritation works to change Vatican policies regarding women by educating and raising public awareness about the need for women’s ordination and structural change in the church.
• Ministry of Walking With Women Called supports and provides resources for women discerning if they are caledl to ordination into a renewing priestly ministry, for women who know they are called and are discerning how to proceed, and for women in an ordination formation process.
• Ministry of Prophetic Obedience promotes and supports the ministries of women who are making positive differences in the Catholic Church and the world.

Click here for more information about the projects of the Three Ministries.