Contact: Rea Howarth 301-699-0042
301-538-4420 (cell)
October 12, 2005

Catholics Say Time Has Come for Full Equality for Women

Seventy-one Catholic organizations and more than 2,000 lay church members, vowed religious, and priests have signed an open letter to Pope Benedict XVI, saying “The time has come for full equality for women and men in the church.”

The Women’s Equality Campaign, a project of the Quixote Center, challenges the pope to “eradicate discrimination based upon sex from the life of the church,” in a two-page signature ad to be published in the October 14 issue of the National Catholic Reporter. Its publication coincides with a month-long meeting of bishops in Rome, who are discussing the Eucharist, which is increasingly unavailable to Catholics around the world. More than half the word’s Catholic parishes are without a full-time priest.

The group based its demand for equality on the church’s 1965 Constitution on the Church in the Modern World, issued by the Second Vatican Council. It declared discrimination based on sex, race, color, religion, country of origin, and class should be “eradicated” as “contrary to God’s intent.” Since Vatican II, racial discrimination and discrimination based on country of origin has diminished within the Church. But women continue to be denied any role in formulating church policies, because only ordained men are represented within the hierarchy.

“While we have seen many tangible gains for women in other religious institutions and civil societies, our Roman Catholic leaders have lost credibility because they fail to practice what they preach,” says Rea Howarth, co-director of the Quixote Center and chief organizer of the project. The manifesto declares:

• The time has come to affirm the equal rights of women and men in the church
• The time has come to share decision-making with women and men equally.
• The time has come for our liturgical ministries to reflect the equality we proclaim.
• The time has come for inclusive language, the language of hospitality, to be the norm for our preaching, our liturgy, and church documents. Sexist language is no more acceptable than racist language.
• The time has come to acknowledge that the Spirit calls women as well as men to ordained ministry.

A number of signers used pseudonyms, fearing that church authorities would fire them from positions they hold in local churches and dioceses, but the majority—including priests and even a bishop—signed openly. “We cannot preach justice unless we practice it, live it first,” a deanery coordinator from the Midwest wrote.

Many who signed the statement spoke about alienation of family members because of discrimination.  “Forcing Rome to accept truth may require millions more of us to be willing to walk away,” Timothy J Rowan of Colorado Springs said.

“Catholics upset with oppressive liturgies are organizing intentional communities in order to celebrate inclusive liturgies,” said Howarth. “ They worship together regularly, and welcome new members—often only through word of mouth to protect church employees.” 

 “They see themselves as fully Catholic, but can no longer tolerate the church’s overt discrimination against women and gays and the hierarchy’s deliberate exclusion of inclusive language in the liturgy,” Howarth said. A number of small faith communities, and a network of ecumenical Catholic churches that minister to Catholics signed the ad. “We expect to collaborate on joint actions in the future,” Howarth, said, noting that the declaration will be posted on the Internet to allow additional individuals and groups to sign on. 

Fourteen national organizations co-sponsored the Women’s Equality project, which was organized by the Quixote Center, a national organization based in Brentwood, Maryland that works for justice in the church and society.  Cosponsoring organizations include: Call to Action-USA, Catholics for a Free Choice, Catholics Speak Out, CORPUS-USA, Dignity-USA, the Ecumenical Catholic Communion, FutureChurch, Loretto Women’s Network, National Coalition of American Nuns, New Ways Ministry, Priests for Equality, Women-Church Convergence, and Women’s Ordination Conference.

To read the text of “The Time Has Come,” or view the list of endorsers, please visit the Women's Equality Campaign web site.

Signer contacts for additional interviews:
Pittsburgh, PA—Joan & John Houk: 724-612-3847, jhoukmdiv@earthlink.net
Phoenix, AZ—Nicole Sotelo: 857.928.4112 (c) nicolesotelo@yahoo.com
Additional organizational contacts:
CORPUS-USA—Ray Grosswirth: 585-334-7120 rgrosswirth@corpus.org
Women-Church Convergence—Sr. Bridget Mary Meehan: 703-379-2487 SofiaBMM@aol.com
Women’s Ordination Conference—Joy Barnes: 703-352-1006 grassroots@womensordination.org