Pope Francis offered many words of wisdom and discussed key issues in his address to US Bishops in Washington DC. He acknowledged the sex abuse scandal as a crime and called for bishops to be healers. He asked that bishops… Read More ›
Vatican
The Francis Blindspot by Gina Messina-Dysert
The day Pope Francis was elected is a memorable one for many Catholics, myself included. Watching our new pope walk out on to the balcony of the Vatican and bow to the crowd left me in tears. It seemed in… Read More ›
Pope Francis is Paving the Way to FutureChurch by Gina Messina-Dysert
The enthusiasm we have seen for Pope Francis over the last year is exceptional. Polls show that among American Catholics he has a 90% approval rating. He has garnered more than 12 million Twitter followers and even broke a Rolling… Read More ›
Film Radical Grace Highlights Nuns’ Response to Vatican Reprimand
While the Catholic Church has sought to control US Nuns through what has been called the “New Inquisition,” it has been unsuccessful in its efforts. The film Radical Grace documents the response of Sr. Simone Campbell, Sr. Jean Hughes, and… Read More ›
I Dream of Pope Francis by Gina Messina-Dysert
It was just last week that I received an email from Pope Francis. He wrote me having seen my interview with Tavis Smiley and said he sympathized with my appeal for a Church that serves the needs of the people. … Read More ›
Standing in Cautious Optimism with the Election of the First Jesuit Pope by Michele Stopera Freyhauf
From the time Benedict’s successor was revealed, I believed that we were witnessing something different – hopefully change. Pope Francis I embraces many “firsts” – which is probably why the Cardinals chose him. Change and reconciliation seem to be at… Read More ›
Hate Mail and the Privilege of Having a Voice by Gina Messina-Dysert
This past week I was honored to have the opportunity to talk with Tavis Smiley on PBS about the resignation of the Pope and the future of the Catholic Church. Although some have argued that the pope stepping down means… Read More ›
The Papal Resignation and Future of the Catholic Church by Gina Messina-Dysert
I was flattered when I received a call from The Tavis Smiley Show on PBS and was asked to appear on the show to discuss the Pope’s resignation and the future of the Catholic Church. It was an amazing opportunity… Read More ›
Papal Retirement: A Matter of Conscience by Mary E. Hunt
The unexpected announcement of the resignation of Pope Benedict XVI is a welcome breath of fresh air. A human being, even a pope, ought to have the option to say enough is enough, I have done what I can do,… Read More ›
BREAKING NEWS: Pope Resigns
The world is stunned this morning as news breaks that Pope Benedict XVI has announced that he will resign his position due to lack of strength to carry out his role; he stated: “to the extent that I have had… Read More ›
I Stand with Fr. Roy Bourgeois by Gina Messina-Dysert
“The Vatican and Maryknoll can dismiss me, but they cannot dismiss the issue of gender equality in the Catholic Church.” – Fr. Roy Bourgeois While many have said it should be no surprise that Fr. Roy Bourgeois has been excommunicated… Read More ›
IN THE NEWS: Women’s Ordination in the Catholic Church
On October 6th, the first Catholic women’s ordination in Los Angeles was performed when two women were welcomed as priests into Roman Catholic Women Priests. There are now 143 women ordained worldwide in a movement that has refused to wait… Read More ›
Catholic/Mormon Dialogue on Women’s Ordination
The Catholic/Mormon Dialogue on Women’s Ordination at Claremont Graduate University will take place Wednesday, September 19, 2012. It is an incredibly relevant topic today and particularly interesting with a Mormon/Catholic presidential ticket before us. It makes sense to bring Catholics… Read More ›
Hijacking the Nuns? by Kate Conmy
When stuck between a vow of obedience and a hard place known as the Vatican, sisterhood may be our only prayer. Since April 18, 2012, the U.S. nuns have been cast into the headlines as the Vatican’s Congregation for the… Read More ›
Catholic Feminists Meet, Strategize by Rosemary Radford Ruether and Theresa Yugar
During July 8-11, 2012 twenty Catholic feminist leaders met in a retreat center near Baltimore to discuss their concerns and hopes in the light of the recent and ongoing attacks of Catholic bishops on women and especially on feminist work… Read More ›
Vatican Lays a Cunning Trap for American Nuns by Mary Johnson
At the end of this month, the Leadership Conference of Women Religious will meet to formulate a response to a Vatican trap whose cunning is best appreciated within the long tradition of religious authorities who craft impossible dilemmas for those… Read More ›
Reproductive Justice by Gina Messina-Dysert
Following the testimony of Sandra Fluke on the lack of availability of contraception and the appalling remarks by Rush Limbaugh that took place in early March, 2012, much discussion around issues of reproductive justice has emerged. Among these conversations, Mary… Read More ›
A Response to the Maryknoll Community on Women’s Ordination by Fr. Roy Bourgeois
This letter was written to to Rev. Edward Dougherty, M.M., Superior General and the Maryknoll Community on August 8, 2011 in response to the call for Fr. Roy Bourgeois to recant his stance on women’s ordination in the Catholic Church…. Read More ›
Pink Smoke, Call to Disobedience, and a Holy Shake-Up: Is it Time to Convene the Third Vatican Council? By Michele Stopera Freyhauf
This past August I wrote about the canonical warning that Fr. Roy received and the issue surrounding the exercise of conscience over church teaching. For a more detailed explanation of the warning and the background regarding the ordination of women,… Read More ›
Is it Right to Intentionally Lie Because the Church Says to? The Case of Fr. Roy’s Assertion of Conscience Over Vatican’s Mandate to Lie By Michele Stopera Freyhauf
Fr. Roy Bourgeois has many titles: Nobel Peace Prize winner, purple heart recipient, former missionary, member of the Maryknoll Fathers for 44 years, and ordained priest for 38 years. He has long been associated with social justice and helping the oppressed… Read More ›
Will Women Priests Change the Church? By Mary E. Hunt
The following is a guest post written by Mary E. Hunt, Ph.D., co-founder and co-director of WATER (Women’s Alliance for Theology, Ethics, and Ritual). A New Documentary, “Pink Smoke Over the Vatican,” starts the conversation… Catholic women priests are an… Read More ›
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