Press Releases

For Immediate Release Contacts: Kate McElwee, Executive Director of Women’s Ordination Conference, kmcelwee@womensordination.org, USA: +1 607-725-1364, Italy: +39 393 692 2100 Gloria Ulterino, RAPPORT, glorialbf@aol.com United States and Australia:  A new collaboration, “Listening to Women” (www.listeningtowomen.org), aims to create safe spaces for women to assess a parish’s pastoral care, spiritual growth, and opportunities for women…
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The International Women’s Ordination Worldwide (WOW), which was founded at the first Women’s Synod in 1996 in Gmunden, Austria, and is committed to women in the diaconate and priesthood in the worldwide Roman Catholic Church, confirming and documenting their vocations, welcomes the explicit and clear statement of the new General Secretary of the Christian Democratic…
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The letter below was sent by Members of Women-Church Convergence to the Student Leaders of March for Our Lives in Parkland, Florida.   May 4, 2018             Dear Anti-Gun Violence Leaders,             We, religious feminists rooted in the Catholic tradition, greet, applaud, and join you in your efforts to eradicate gun violence. Your courageous and…
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May 4, 2018 In a wide-ranging interview with Salzburger Nachrichten, Vienna Cardinal Christoph Schönborn, and member of the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith, says a future Council should review the question of the ordination of women as deacons, priests and bishops. Responding to a “developing need,” Schönborn believes these “big questions” should not…
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The exploitation of women in the Vatican and the Church must end. March 8, 2018 This International Women’s Day, Women’s Ordination Worldwide (WOW) joins the global community in the #PressForProgress for women’s equality by calling for an end to sexism and abuse within the Roman Catholic Church. The theme of International Women’s Day, “Press for…
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For Immediate Release: 2 February 2018 Women’s Ordination Worldwide (WOW) notes with disappointment the news that organizers for a fifth annual event at the Vatican for International Women’s Day were told they could not feature former Irish president Mary McAleese and Ugandan activist Ssenfuka Joanita Warry. Pope Francis has called repeatedly for fearless dialogue in the church. Yet, within…
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January 9, 2018 Contact: Deborah Rose-Milavec, Executive Director of FutureChurch debrose@futurechurch.org Lizzie Berne DeGear, The Women Who Stayed, a Ministry of The Church of St. Francis Xavier thewomenwhostayed@gmail.com Kate McElwee, Executive Director of the Women’s Ordination Conference kmcelwee@womensordination.org Zach Johnson, Executive Director of Call To Action zach@cta-usa.org New York, NY and global locations: Inspired by the…
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Release date: December 21, 2017 Catholic organizations announce new initiative, #CatholicToo, to create space for women to share their stories about the effects of sexism and misogyny within the Church and to take action to end it. Contact: Zachary Johnson, Executive Director, Call To Action 773-988-2352, zach@cta-usa.org Kate McElwee, Executive Director, Women’s Ordination Conference 607.725.1364,…
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Contact:  Marianne Duddy-Burke, 617-669-7810 Kate McElwee, 607-725-1364 The undersigned groups of Women-Church Convergence (W-CC) issued the following statement: As a Catholic-rooted, feminist coalition, Women-Church Convergence (W-CC) resoundingly stands with those who have come forward to share their stories of sexual harassment, assault, and violence. We mark this #MeToo moment as a renewed call to listen to…
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Rome, Italy: In celebration of the feast day of St. Therese of Lisieux, a purple banner reading “Ordain Women” was placed on the Sant’Angelo bridge just in front of St. Peter’s Basilica in Rome Oct. 1. St. Therese, who herself longed to be a priest, is one of countless women whose vocations continue to be…
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