Author: Kate McElwee

Pope Francis on women priests: “That cannot be done.”

For Immediate Release September 28, 2015 Contact:  Erin Saiz Hanna 401.588.0457 Kate McElwee 607.725.1364 On the papal plane from Philadelphia to Rome, Pope Francis was asked: “Will we one day see women priests in the Catholic church as some groups in the U.S. ask, and some other Christian churches have?” “On women priests, that cannot…
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Fr. Jack McClure removed from ministry for speaking at Women’s Ordination Worldwide Conference

Contact:  Miriam Duignan, Women’s Ordination Worldwide 510-984-8678 As Pope Francis arrives in the United States, a parish priest is banned from ministry for following his conscience. On Saturday, September 20, Fr. Jack McClure shared his support for women’s ordination during a panel held in Philadelphia, PA at the Women’s Ordination Worldwideconference. Precious Blood Fr. McClure…
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Therese Kane Women of Vision and Courage Award – Nominations now open!

Nominate a woman of courage and vision who, like Sr. Theresa Kane, prophetically lives out her vision of an inclusive, equal and just Roman Catholic Church. WOC will also specially honor a Philadelphia leader, grassroots activists and  feminists under forty. Nominations are now open! 

WOC, RCWP respond to attack on woman priest

For Immediate Release Jennifer O’Malley,  RCWP-USA Board President (310) 408-9122 Erin Saiz Hanna, WOC Co-Director (401) 588-0457 Roman Catholic Womenpriests (RCWP) and Women’s Ordination Conference (WOC) are deeply saddened by the violent attack that Alexandra Dyer, a Roman Catholic Womanpriest in New York City, experienced when leaving work on Wednesday evening.  As she was getting in her car,…
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“Reasonably Catholic”

Listen to Kate McElwee on WESU’s program, “Reasonably Catholic” with Maria Johnson (20:10 minute mark)

Jacqueline Straub, the Woman Who Would Be Priest Read more: Jacqueline Straub, the Woman Who Would Be Priest

Last September, Jacqueline Straub wrote a letter to the pope. (First off: People still write letters?) But Straub wasn’t fishing for a papal pen pal. While some might argue she was using pen and paper to beat her head against a wall, Straub, a 24-year-old theology student, would likely counter that she was taking a…
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On being ‘doubly othered’

By Margery Eagan: On Spirituality columnist, Crux August 12, 2015: Read the Full article on Crux “Doubly othered.” That is how Gina Messina-Dysert describes her life as a faithful feminist and a faithful Catholic. She is suspect within Catholicism for her feminism. She is suspect among feminists for her Catholicism. “Doubly othered.” What a perfect name,…
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Sr. Joan Chittister and Martin Sheen endorse WOW 2015

“The reason some questions cannot be suppressed, do not go away–regardless how many people think they should–is because the human heart knows they must be asked or have yet to be clearly answered.  When that question concerns the quality of the discipleship of half the Catholics in the world, it cries out for attention. And will continue to…
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Women’s ordination: Can we be public?

July 14, 2015: Read the full article by Sr. Jeannine Gramick on the NCR’s Global Sisters Report  In mid-April of this year, I was one of 38 Catholic leaders from 22 different Catholic reform organizations that met in Limerick, Ireland, in a four-day conference to discuss the state of the church. Hosted by the Irish…
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Warm welcome for Pope’s ‘significant’ climate change message

Read the full article by Patsy McGarry on the Irish Times … Radical rethinking In Dublin, Christian Aid’s head of advocacy and policy Sorley McCaughey praised Pope Francis for his call for a radical rethinking of humanity’s relationship with the earth and urged both people of faith in all walks of life, and especially politicians, to…
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