Rev. AndreaGrace writes: Thank you for your support, encouragement and prayers.
I landed yesterday and headed to my cousin, Raffaella’s home where I spent the day! It was wonderful to see my family there. In the afternoon, Raffaella’s precious husband, Claudio, brought me to the AirBNB I’m sharing with two of my friends, Cathy and MaryKay who are candidates for the priesthood.
We met up with the other Women Priests & Bishops for drinks and dinner – so beautiful in the courtyard of a convent overlooking the city. One of the priests was Christine Mayr-Lumetzberger who organized the Danube 7 in 2002 and was the first ordained woman bishop since the 1100s.
The women priests shared that they were at a women’s luncheon yesterday. Three official Synod delegates – all women from different continents – came to listen and to share. Here you can watch a video snip-it that Bishop Bridget Mary Meehan captured. Women Ordination Conference shared that Pope Francis mentioned women’s ordination in his opening liturgy. We hope and pray. For the first time, the Synodal delegates are sitting at round-tables in diverse groupings. They will meet 6 days a week for the month – deciding on a list of subjects to be studied over the next year. In October, 2024, they will regroup to make decisions.
Today, the women priests held a media day. There were two film-makers, one from Germany and one from Italy. I had met them both last year as they came to the women priest’s annual retreat – and they both remembered me (interesting since we were 50+ on the retreat and I was a newbie!) The German team is well-funded and working a documentary that will air throughout Europe next year. The Italian woman ran out of money. There were other journalists as well although I didn’t see any from the USA. There were a series of videos and sharing. I was had the mic and shared my experience multiple times throughout the day. NOTE the picture of Pope John Paull II watching over us. I wonder what he thought!
Interview on Oppression in the Institutional Church
At lunch, the German director said she wanted to interview me because no one is talking about how the Church oppresses women. So – in the afternoon, we spoke.
I mentioned that since I was a child I knew that I wanted to be married with four children and serve God in an “official” capacity.
That my four young-adult sons propelled me forward when they stopped going to mass because of the abuse and lack of roles for women.
That I‘m learning more about anti-racism and that oppression becomes a well-oiled machine.
Part of oppression is telling people that they are not good enough, not smart enough – not fit. And that happened to me. I know that I have a vocation to the priesthood. Everyone around me knows that. So why is the Church telling me that because I don’t have a PENIS (yup – Mom – I said the word on camera) I can’t be a priest.
We pray for vocations all the time – the vocations are here but the church needs to open wide the doors – as Vatican II called for. By the way, today is the Feast of St. Pope John XXIII who started Vatican II. May this Synod continue the work that was done.
I mentioned that part of oppression is keeping information out. So most Catholics don’t know that women were priests and bishops into the 1100s. The Lectionary is really a “Selectionary” – so stories about women are omitted. For example, all four gospels agree that Jesus appeared to Mary Magdalene after the Resurrection and told her to tell others. However, we don’t hear that at mass on Easter. I shared about how few Catholics know about Esther (and how I focused on her at my ordination and I referenced the video which is now online.) Most Catholics also do not know about Lydia or all the women in Romans 16 – including Junia, who St. Paul said was "an outstanding [female] apostle" and Priscilla who led a house-church with her husband.
I wrapped up by saying that Mother Mary was the first women who carried Jesus’ body and blood – and the last. And that was why I was wearing the praying Madonna necklace that my Nonna gave me for my First Communion.
I knit throughout the day – in my pink shirt and red stole. Multiple photographers captured photos of me. I suggested one of them get my wrist with the red cord bracelet – a symbol of following Mary Magdalene who was one of the first priests and evangelizers. My precious niece, Anna, made it for me. Here she is putting it on me before my trip.
There was a contingency from New Zealand that have a “pink shoes” campaign – women put out their pink shoes with notecards about what they want for women in the Church.
Then I took a picture of my pink sandals and alb with my stole – red for the Holy Spirit. It’s
also the stole I wore at my beloved brother-cousin, Anthony’s, memorial service. He is with me!
We concluded the day with a multilingual prayer service of about 60 people from around the world.
It’s been peaceful. No arrests in our group today – although one of the women priests was arrested earlier in the week for wearing her alb and stole in St. Peter’s Square.
There has been a lot of collaboration between organizations from around the world.
As St. Francis prayed – Pace e bene – Peace and Wellness
Join me in praying that God’s will will permeate the Synod
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