World Day of Prayer glimpses women priests already among us

The 13th annual World Day of Prayer for Women's Ordination March 25 was marked by at least 24 prayer events in the U.S. —the most ever, from Washington, New York and Philadelphia on the East to Los Angeles, San Jose and Oakland on the West. Other cities included Atlanta, Cleveland, Cincinnati and Kansas City. Details are on the WOC website: www.womensordination.org

Among international events, the 13th consecutive gathering of BASIC (www.basic.ie) in Dublin was both historic and whimsical. About 15 gathered in heavy rain outside the General Post Office in O’Connell Street — site of the 1916 rising which led to Irish independence from Britain. After hymns and poems, they voiced a litany of 12 arguments for ordaining women, each answered with “ROME SAYS NO,” the bursting of a purple balloon by "Cardinal ROMA-NO-NO.” and the shout: “Women Priests are here to stay!” To conclude they released seven white doves to confirm that women priests are free as the Holy Spirit among us, ministering and presiding at eucharists. A crew from RTE — Ireland’s national TV — filmed the service for a forthcoming program women in the church. Several of the 15 repaired to a nearby room for Eucharist with a woman presider. Rome may say no, but women priests are here to stay!

Please participate in new survey on women’s roles

Even though there are now more female lay ministers in the U.S. Church than diocesan priests, the institutional Church remains highly resistant to talking about women’s full ministerial equality. This makes it difficult to know which of many possible strategies to pursue so as to catalyze this long overdue discussion.

A new, comprehensive survey to discover the views of progressive pew Catholics is now available from FutureChurch. The survey instrument incorporates questions from members of the Women’s Equality Coalition, a group of Catholic renewal organizations (including CTA, WOC, CORPUS and others) formed in January and working together to advance women’ s roles in the Church. The results will provide invaluable information about which strategies to pursue so that the 21st century Church may finally embody St. Paul’s exhortation to equality and that we are “all one in Christ Jesus.” (Galatians: 3:28)

The Advancing Women in Church Leadership Survey was mailed to 43,000 progressive Catholics in mid- February and will be advertised via email and newsletter by other Catholic organizations over the next two months.

Please help! If you haven’t already completed your survey, go to www.futurechurch.org, and complete the survey online. Deadline is June 1. Results (hopefully) available in mid summer. Thanks!