454878_WOC 4/9/2015 4:20 PM Page 1 W O M E N ’ S O R D I N A T I O N C O N F E R E N C E Vol. 38, No. 1 $2.00 Spring/Summer 2 0 1 5 A Voice for Women’s Equality in the Catholic Church Our Strength Comes from Our Stories of Witness and Action By Erin Saiz Hanna and Kate McElwee, WOC Co-Executive Directors ast month we celebrated women’s WOC has thrived as a grass- history month. The National roots, member-supported or- LWomen’s History project declared the ganization. This is where we 2015 theme as “weaving the stories of gathered and maintained our women’s lives,” a perfect theme as WOC strength over the years. th prepares for our 40 anniversary Nearly forty years later, we celebration in Philadelphia this September. stand on the shoulders of Mary WOC members take action at second WOC conference, Nearly forty years ago, two thousand faith- Lynch and the first attendees of Baltimore, 1978. ful gathered for the first Women’s Ordina- that conference, whose litany of tion Conference in Detroit, Michigan and a names can be found on pages 12-15. movement was born. “Women in Future Our founders could not have predicted the INSIDE Priesthood Now,” was organized to em- path our movement wo uld take. It has not bolden education and create new strategies been an easy one, but throughout it all we From the Co-Executive Directors . Page 2 for both those women who felt called to or- have continued to serve as a voice for dination in the Roman Catholic Church as women’s equality in the Roman Catholic News & Notes. Page 3 well as their supporters. The first confer- Church. ence was inspired by “the power of one th Theological Perspectives . Page 6 woman asking one question,” noted confer- As we prepare to celebrate WOC’s 40 an- ence coordinator Nadine Foley. niversary, we will celebrate one woman Walking with Women Called . Page 7 who questioned an injustice, and the One woman, asking one question, learned countless women who, throughout history, Ministry of Prophetic Obedience . Page 8 very quickly that she was not alone. Mary refuse to allow their equality to be ques- From Rome . Page 9 B. Lynch’s journey of questioning was pio- tioned, as well as their deeply held experi- neering and familiar, amazing, and simple. ences of calls to ordination in our church. WOW Conference . Pages 10-11 Mary wanted to be closer to God, and would reflect in her writings that access to Our anniversary celebration will take place Litany of Names – First Women’s God through the priesthood would be the during the Women’s Ordination World- Ordination Conference . Pages 12-15 ultimate relationship, a thought that made wide (WOW) third international confer- her feel “most alive.” (See Mary Jeremy ence, Gender, Gospel & Global Justice in Book Review . Page 16 Philadelphia, scheduled just days before Daigler, Incompatible with God’s Design: A Recent Events . Page 18 History of the Women’s Ordination Movement Pope Francis arrives in the U.S. This gather- in the U.S. Roman Catholic Church [Lanham, ing will bring together the people of God: MD: Scarecrow Press, 2012], 39). feminists of faith who decry the discrimina- tion of women in church and society today. Save the Date While theology has developed and ex- For more on the upcoming conference see Gender, Gospel & panded around this issue, undoubtedly pages 8-9. Lynch’s quest brought her closer to the Global Justice people of God. It was by her example of The list of speakers continues to grow daily creating and nourishing communities that with legendary advocates for women’s Philadelphia continued on page 5 Sept. 18-20, 2015 454878_WOC 4/13/2015 7:11 AM Page 2 From the Executive Directors Church, however Louise M. Doire master- NewWomen, NewChurch is pUblished fully dismantles his assumptions and con- three times a year by the Women’s Ordination clusions, and she brings both intelligence Conference (WOC). WOC works for the and humor to an otherwise ridiculous ordination of women as deacons, priests, and proposition by the cardinal. bishops into an inclUsive and accoUntable Roman Catholic Church. An interview follows from a young woman based in Vienna, Austria, Jacqueline Straub. Editors Kate McElwee Jacqueline experiences a call to the priest- Erin Saiz Hanna hood and she offers both a freshness and a Diana Wear resolute directness illustrating insights from the next generation of women in our Send address corrections and all correspondence to: church, confronting injustice in their way. This is a hopeful read. WOC National Office P.O. Box 15057 We are fortunate also to feature the Min- Washington, DC 20003 Erin Saiz Hanna and Kate McElwee istry of Prophetic Obedience of Kathleen 202.675.1006 Gibbons Schuck, RCWP, who beautifully [email protected] writes about the messages she modeled for Dear WOC Members, her daughter while compromising herself in a traditional parish, and the awakening It has been a long, cold winter for many of National Board of Directors you, and we want to be among those who that is possible when a community called wish you a very happy Spring. As we her to “show up as my deepest, most au- Jeannette Mulherin Marilu Aguilar President watch the snow melt with ever-warming thentic self” (p. 8). Sheila Peiffer Tracy Garrison-Feinberg sunshine, and nature sprouting green On page 9, we have a reflection piece from Merylee Shelton around us, we can celebrate nature’s re- Vice President Kate McElwee, on the “Women’s Culture’s” Jane Via, RCWP silience and the newness of each seasonal meetings that took place at the Vatican, Marion Flynn cycle. At WOC we are ready to bloom in the Treasurer Erin Saiz Hanna which Kate attended. Importantly, Kate Co-Executive Director coming months, as we prepare to celebrate also raises up the cultural disassociation be- Margaret Johnson our 40th anniversary this fall, and welcome tween Rome and the U.S., and the struggle Secretary Kate McElwee Co-Executive Director hundreds of feminists of faith to the of the unpopular stance of hope, over sar- Women’s Ordination Worldwide (WOW) casm. Conference in Philadelphia in September. We have dedicated two full pages (pp. 10- We are especially pleased to share that we 11) to the WOW conference, where you National Advisers are now working as co-directors (see formal will find all the information you will need Roy Bourgeois Andrea Johnson announcement on page 5). Co-directorship on registration, speakers, workshops, and is a feminist leadership model we are proud accommodations. Read through our excit- Elisabeth Schüssler Theresa Kane, RSM Fiorenza to pioneer in our organization. With leader- ing programming and share the informa- Anthony Padovano Jeannine Gramick, SL ship around the world we are unequivo- tion with your communities. This is an Donna Quinn, OP cally rooting our mission in the global incredible time for both WOC and WOW— Celine Goessl, SCSC Church, and sending the message that Rosemary Radford the women’s ordination movement is Harry R. Halloran, Jr. Ruether women’s equality in the church is a global stronger than ever! We hope many women Mary E. Hunt justice issue. and men in all walks of church and life will Our cover story in this issue highlights the join us in making this conference a success. seeds that were planted at our first confer- After the conference’s opening ceremony, we will commence with WOC’s anniver- In principle and practice WOC values and seeks ence in Detroit, lifting up the names of a diverse membership. There shall be no barriers those who attended (pp. 12-15), and our sary—our 40th year—and celebrate with to fUll participation in this organization on the founder Mary B. Lynch. Please share the vigor our seeds, roots, and springtime of basis of gender, race, creed, age, sexUal orienta- list of names and look for people you may new life and growth. tion, national origin, or disability. know — if you find your name, tell us We look forward to gathering with every- A sUbscription to NewWomen, NewChurch is in- about your experience and share your re- one this September in Philadelphia. Thank clUded in the WOC membership fee of $45. WOC flections. We hope to honor those who at- you for supporting WOC and ensuring the is incorporated under 501(c)(3) as a nonprofit or- tended the first conference in a special way growth and development of our vibrant ganization. ContribUtions are tax dedUctible ac- at WOW 2015. movement. cordingly. On page 3 you will find a reflection on Warmly, WOC archives, inclUding microfilms of Roman Catholic Woman Priest, Georgia NewWomen, NewChurch, are held at MarqUette University. For more information, contact Philip Walker, ordained in Kansas City, and ex- Erin Saiz Hanna & Kate McElwee Co-directors Runkel at the Department of Special Collections communicated through a personal letter & University Archives, MarqUette University, from Bishop Robert Finn. We have included MilwaUkee, WI 53201-3141, 414.288.5903, or a copy of the decree he sent her. We stand [email protected]. with Georgia in her ministry and pray that Copyright 2014-2015 she finds other support in her community. Women’s Ordination Conference It is with some reluctance that page 6 is de- All rights reserved voted to Cardinal Raymond Burke’s recent comments about the feminization of the 2 New Women, New Church • Spring/Summer 2015 454878_WOC 4/9/2015 4:20 PM Page 3 News & Notes Georgia Walker’s Journey to New Life By Janice Sevre-Duszynska (ARCWP) I just got off the phone with newly or- recalled two dained ARCWP priest Georgia Walker of aunts who had Kansas City, Missouri where I’m visiting.