International News and Actions

October 1, 2001
Feast of Saint Therese of Lisieux.
Contact : Soline Vatinel, Ireland.

Banner in Rome Proclaims "ORDAIN WOMEN PRIESTS" as Synod of Bishops Gather.

Women's Ordination Worldwide (WOW), an international coalition of organizations seeking the ordination of women to all ministries, will display a banner in Rome as Roman Catholic bishops from around the world gather for the 10th Ordinary General Assembly of the synods of Bishops to discuss "The Bishop: Servant of the Gospel of Jesus Christ for the Hope of the World."

The Vatican, which forbids discussion on the issue of women's ordination, will be the backdrop for the banner which features silhouette images of women holding up the Eucharist .The caption reads : "Ordain Women Priests" in Italian and "Ordain Women" in Latin, French, German, Polish, Spanish and English. Display dates are set for October 1-15 at Via Stefano Porcari, and October 16-31 at Via Crescenzio. Both sites are located near the Piazza Risorgimento and the Vatican's Sistine Chapel.

A blessing liturgy is planned for Saturday, October 6, 2001 at 2:00 p.m. at the Via Stefano Porcari location. Members and supporters of WOW will wear purple stoles, the universal symbol for women's ordination, and join in a procession from Piazza Cavour to the site of the banner where they will call on church leaders to end the exclusion of women from ordination.

This is the first time a sign for women's ordination will be displayed in Rome. "It will continue the discussion of women's ordination in the church ," said Janice Sevre-Duszynska, a woman with a vocation to the priesthood and organizer of the banner project."We would like this banner to encourage the pope, the bishops and the curia to re-examine their attitude and position on this issue. We also hope that it will generate a positive grassroots response from the community to welcome women's vocations." Soline Vatinel, WOW spokesperson sums it up this way : "It is all about opening hearts and minds to what the Spirit is doing in our church today . The banner is literally one of the signs of the times. We are hopeful that prayerful and fruitful dialogue on this issue is possible."

WOW recently held its first international conference on women's ordination in the Catholic church in Dublin. 370 participants attended the event from 26 countries and 5 continents. For more information contact:
Women's Ordination Worldwide, St Francois, Avoca Avenue, Blackrock, Co.Dublin, Ireland. Tel 00 353 1
2885520 basic@indigo.ie
Financial contributions towards the Rome banner can be sent to the above address.