“I think it’s pretty clear that the Vatican is trying to lower expectations of any outcome of this synodal gathering,” said Kate McElwee, executive director of the Women’s Ordination Conference. McElwee said that it would constitute a “scandal” if the synod were to fail to recognize the call by thousands of women. She described the…
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NPR religion correspondent Jason DeRose interviewed Executive Director Kate McElwee and others on the legacy of Sr. Theresa Kane for Weekend Edition. Listen to the story or read the transcript.
WOC will be in Rome again for the final session of the Synod on Synodality this October—and we’ve got schemes and dreams aplenty! We have been planning behind the scenes to ensure *our* voices are heard and hold the Vatican accountable to the inclusive, courageous vision of the synod laid forth from the beginning. While…
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In a recent interview with Crux, Cardinal Jean-Claude Hollerich (who has played a major role in organizing the Synod on Synodality) said that when talking about issues like women’s ordination, it is important to not be a “lobby group,” and instead use tools like “prayer, discussion, and listening to each other.” He repeatedly called for open dialogue,…
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By Nicole Winfield The Vatican said Tuesday that its doctrine office will prepare a document on women in leadership roles in the Catholic Church, a new initiative to respond to longstanding demands by women to have a greater say in the church’s life. The document will be written by the Dicastery of the Doctrine of the Faith…
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By Heidi Schlumpf Alyssa Pedicino wrote her first letter to Pope Francis when she was 9. By that age, she had been an altar server for two years and already felt called to be a deacon, just like her dad. In her letter, Pedicino congratulated the pope on his new position and shared her frustration…
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By Emma Cieslik This past April, the Pew Research Center shared that 54 percent of U.S. Catholics believe the church should recognize the marriages of gay and lesbian couples. The data affirmed that 2024 was ripe for LGBTQ+ inclusion in the Catholic Church, but the timing—the report released just one week after the Vatican’s Dignitas Infinita document denouncing gender-affirming…
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By Florence Gaillard In October 2023, for the first time in the history of the Catholic Church, women were allowed to participate in and vote at the Synod of Bishops, a religious gathering that had previously been reserved only for bishops. The landmark event came amid calls from feminists in many countries for the ordination…
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As supporters of ordination justice stood outside the Cathedral of St. Matthew in Washington, DC and sang, Same Baptism, Same Spirit, Same Calling…we were greeted with overwhelming support from mass-goers and church leaders alike. One priest in particular said: “You’re very welcome here. We’re on the same page.” Throughout the day we received photos and reports from…
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