Press Releases

In celebration of International Women’s Day, Catholic women are initiating a global strike from Church participation, attendance, and financial contributions throughout the month of May.  Organized by a network of 12 progressive Catholic organizations, the Catholic Women Strike campaign will begin on May 3rd, the “World Day of Prayer for Vocations,” and will nonviolently disrupt…
Read more

New York: As women unite worldwide for International Women’s Day (March 8), Catholic women’s ordination advocates will march from the United Nations to the steps of New York’s St. Patrick’s Cathedral to demonstrate that women’s rights should not end at the steps of our churches. Singing a revised version of the classic labor rights song…
Read more

Rome, 13 February 2020  Yesterday the post-synodal exhortation “Querida Amazonia” was published. With great sensitivity, it discussed the problems of poverty, exploitation, cultural colonization, migration and environmental degradation the Amazonia region is currently facing. It encouraged dialogue and appreciation of the unique contribution of the indigenous peoples to the shape of the universal Church. What…
Read more

For Immediate Release: 12 February 2020 Querida Amazonia, Pope Francis’ post-synodal exhortation released today, outlines four “dreams” for the Church and the environment, leaving women and their dreams to the footnotes of the document and his papacy. With Querida Amazonia, the Pope is willfully turning his back on the calls of women for recognition of…
Read more

Five Catholic reform organizations representing thousands of Catholic women and men sent a letter to Synod officials at the Vatican requesting the integration of women religious as full voting members at future synods. Women’s Ordination Conference, along with Donna per la Chiesa, Voices of Faith, Catholic Women Speak, and FutureChurch responded to an invitation from…
Read more

For Immediate Release26 October 2019 The Women’s Ordination Conference (WOC) welcomes Pope Francis’ announcement that the study commission on women deacons will be convoked again in response to the discussion about women deacons at the Pan-Amazonian synod. “We were listening,” the Pope said.   We hope further deep listening to the valid vocations of women continues…
Read more

***Segue in italiano di seguito*** To the Synodal Fathers, to the experts and to the auditors: As women believers we look with attention and great hope to the Synod for the Pan-Amazonian Region which is gathering in Rome from 6th to 27th October. We recognise the historic and revolutionary significance of this Synod which addresses…
Read more

For immediate release: 25 September 2019 With the release of the list of participants for the Vatican’s upcoming Special Assembly of the Synod of Bishops for the Pan-Amazon Region (Oct. 6-27), the Women’s Ordination Conference notes with disappointment and bewilderment the continued lack of voting rights for Catholic sisters and nuns at the assembly. Since…
Read more

On the occasion of the upcoming synod on Amazonia, a clear message comes from religious sisters from across the world: Why is there still such resistance to women’s participation when it comes to leadership and decision making in our Church? Why are sisters, who have dedicated their whole lives to prayer and devotion to the…
Read more

By Katie Lacz, Program Associate In the America magazine article “Should Women Preach at Mass? Here’s a Better Question” (Pia de Solenni, Sept. 9), the question referred to in the title comes at the end: “Does being a woman or man affect what I do?” As is true for many deceptively simple questions, the answer…
Read more