Women play a vital role in passing on the faith to the next generation. But when 99% of Catholic churches have a male preacher this Sunday in a world where 50% of the Catholic population are women, it’s time for our daughters and granddaughters — and sons and grandsons — to see us naming out Read more
It is a standing date that I look forward to every other Sunday afternoon with great excitement. My dear friend MC and I meet at a cozy cafe in Detroi. There we splurge for a delicious drink (and, OK, maybe a sweet treat too). We begin our time by unpacking our lives. We share our Read more
The Church’s largest ever study of Catholic women has found they are hungry for reform. Women resent their lack of decision-making power and want to follow their consciences on sex and contraception. They think the Church should be more inclusive of the diverse and the divorced. Women also want to be allowed to preach, they Read more
On Wednesday, a group of New Zealand Catholic women called ‘Be the Change’ participated in another Pink Shoes into the Vatican event. Held on International Women’s Day, the event at Auckland’s St Patrick’s Cathedral plaza included a display of well-worn pink shoes. The event was timed to coincide with midday Mass. ‘Be the Change’ invited Read more
New Zealand’s National Synod Synthesis has been compiled and released to the public. The diocesan documents were synthesised at a national meeting held in Wellington in June. The introduction to the national document says participants throughout the country “spoke positively and with love about the place the Church has in their lives. “They want the Read more
An Irish Archdiocese’s pastoral plan is being described as a “blueprint for transitioning the Church to this new era of inclusivity”. Everyone, including divorced or separated people, LGBT+, migrants and minorities should all feel they belong to Catholic parishes, as should “those who consider themselves ‘cultural Catholics’,” it says. In addition, “images of families used Read more
Catholic women have clapped back at Pope Francis after he called their struggle for ordination “clericalist” and “disrespectful”. According to Novena News, the women’s response is a reaction to Francis statement that women do not need to be priests in order to lead in the church. Novena News reports that many Catholic women remain unhappy Read more
Pope Francis used his post-Angelus remarks to call for more female leadership in the church. He would like women to “participate more in areas of responsibility in the church.” “Today there is a need to broaden the spaces for a more incisive female presence in the church,” he said on October 11, “because in general Read more
The New Zealand Catholic Bishops Conference (NZCBC) has announced the appointment of Siobhan Dilly as its new executive officer. Siobhan comes to the role with a strong background in business management. She is currently the Policy Analyst and Projects Manager for the New Zealand Catholic Education Office, after working in organisational management and executive support Read more
Catholic women are often overlooked in Church history. Donna Quinn in Chicago Catholic Women: Its Role in Founding the Catholic Women’s Movement and Marian Ronan and Mary O’Brien in Women of Vision: Sixteen Founders of the International Grail Movement are changing this. Read more