Press Releases

December 15th, 2017

A Moment and a Movement: Women-Church says #MeToo, #WeToo

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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October 1st, 2017

“Ordain Women” banner flies in front of St. Peter’s in Rome

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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August 23rd, 2017

Farewell Letter from Erin Saiz Hanna, Co-Executive Director

Dear members, I wanted to let you know that my last day with the Women’s Ordination Conference (WOC) will be tomorrow, August 23rd. I have accepted a position of Director of Philanthropy back in my home state of Rhode Island in the education of young women and girls field. Let me begin by saying what a privilege it…
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August 22nd, 2017

Announcing Leadership Transitions: a message from the WOC Board President

As President of the National Board of Directors, I am excited to announce a transition in Women’s Ordination Conference leadership.  Kate McElwee, Co-Executive Director since 2014, has been voted by our Board of Directors as the sole Executive Director of the Women’s Ordination Conference as of August 24, 2017. Kate McElwee has been with WOC since…
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July 17th, 2017

Announcing the Recipients of the Lucile Murray Durkin Scholarship for Women Discerning Priestly Ordination

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE The Women’s Ordination Conference (WOC), with the financial support of Sheila Durkin Dierks and her family, is pleased to announce Lisa Cathelyn, Sarah Holst, and Elaina Jo Polovick were selected to receive the Lucile Murray Durkin Scholarship for Women Discerning Priestly Ordination from the Women’s Ordination Conference for the 2017-18 academic year. …
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July 5th, 2017

A Pastoral Letter to the People of the Diocese of Springfield in Illinois

July 5, 2017 Women-Church Convergence issued the following letter: Dear Friends in Faith, Our hearts go out to you who have been subjected to pastorally inadequate and insensitive theology in the recent DECREE “Regarding Same-Sex ‘Marriage’ and Related Pastoral Issues” given by your bishop the Most Reverend Thomas John Paprocki. You deserve better because our…
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June 28th, 2017

Over a dozen progressive Catholic organizations express disappointment over Bishop Paprocki’s decree

Over a dozen progressive Catholic organizations representing diversity within the Church signed a joint letter to Bishop Thomas Paprocki expressing disappointment over a decree he issued denying communion and funeral rites for same sex spouses. The groups—representing a broad coalition of feminist, LGBTQI and prochoice Catholic voices– called upon the bishop to unite fellow Catholics…
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May 5th, 2017

Women priests are not sinful, sexism and patriarchy are.

Kate McElwee: 607-725-1364 kmcelwee@womensordination.org Erin Saiz Hanna: 401-588-0457 ehanna@womensordination.org For Immediate Release: 5 May 2017 The Women’s Ordination Conference (WOC) is dismayed by the comments released by David Hains, spokesperson for the Catholic Diocese of Charlotte, regarding the ordination of Abigail Eltzroth. In his statement, Hains stated: “I hope that Catholics in the diocese will understand…
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November 12th, 2016

More seasons to come, more work to be done

In this moment in history, the Women’s Ordination Conference upholds our unwavering commitment to justice for all people. Our values of grassroots activism, radical inclusion, and feminist thought and action will empower our work forward as we work for a better Church and world for all. As Hillary Rodham Clinton said: “Let us not grow…
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November 1st, 2016

Patriarchy Will Not Have the Last Word

For Immediate Release: 1 November 2016 Contact:  Kate McElwee +1 607.725.1364 On the papal plane from Sweden to Rome, Pope Francis was asked by a journalist: “Is it realistic to think that there might be women priests in the next few decades?”   “On the Ordination of women in the Catholic church, the last word…
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