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Hello Mary,
Following a full day of workshops, panels, prayer, and keynote addresses, we knew we needed a party to end the day during WOC50. Signature cocktails, a nine-piece Motown band, a three-tiered purple ombre cake were just the *extras* to the main events on Saturday, May 23rd in Detroit.
First we welcomed WOC advisory board member, Mary E. Hunt, to offer her timely and insightful address, “Catholic Women’s Ordination—The Long View.”
We are thrilled to be able to share the transcript of the address here.
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Then we moved into an awards ceremony, where (since newly elected!) WOC board president Stephanie Boccuzzi shared these words, framing the prophetic and often impossible task of honoring just a few individuals in our movement on behalf of the awarding committee:
Too often, women’s work in our church and world goes unseen, unrecognized, or undervalued. Tonight, we name that reality and firmly reject it. Honoring these leaders is a prophetic act: we are saying that women’s courage, creativity, and persistence in the Gospel matter.
At the same time, we know that no woman stands alone on this stage. Every story we celebrate is rooted in communities that have nurtured, challenged, and sustained the work. As we recognize a few individuals by name, let us remember the countless others whose prayers, labors, and love are woven into their ministries. In that sense, we can consider all of us gathered here part of this circle of honor, sharing in the hope and the future it represents.
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We then celebrated four remarkable leaders whose work embodies the spirit of our movement. Andrea Johnson received the Theresa Kane Award for Vision and Courage, honoring her steadfast commitment to justice and courageous public witness for women’s ordination. Sr. Carol Crowley accepted the award on Andrea's behalf.
Annie Selak was honored with the Ada María Isasi-Díaz Award for Pioneering Theological Scholarship, honored for work that has challenged traditional academic spaces, reshaped theological discourse, expanded the voices included within it, and integrated rigorous scholarship with praxis that informs, animates, and sustains movements for justice within the church. Annie also has a new book, "The Wounded Church," available now!
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Jane Malhotra received the Janice Sevre-Duszynska “Ministry of Irritation” Award, named in the spirit of the holy disruptors, prophets, and persistent widows throughout Scripture. The award honors individuals whose activism has rattled the comfortable, amplified marginalized voices, and kept the question of women’s ordination squarely—and inconveniently—before the church. In selecting Jane, the awards committee recognized her understanding that prophetic witness is rarely polite, that change requires friction, and that the Gospel itself is an irritant to systems that exclude and silence.
The Young Feminist Award was presented to recent Fordham graduate, Mollie Clark, whose leadership, advocacy, and witness are already shaping communities and conversations around ordination justice, gender equity, and inclusion. Mollie shared with us after receiving this award, "I will spend my life living up to this award."
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Lastly, we had a special surprise for one of our founders and a true legend of the movement, Dolly Pomerleau. Together with the Quixote Center, we presented Dolly with the Lifetime of Faithful Witness for Equality and Justice Award. In presenting the honor, Regina Bannan reflected on Dolly's trademark approach of bringing "fun, with an edge" to every cause she championed—adding both joy and depth to the work of justice. And as Regina noted, "she worked on all of them."
Truly, the gift of honoring generations of Catholic women who have brought their voices, vocations, and vision to life through friendship, partnership, and faithful witness with WOC, is beyond measure. We are so fortunate to stand—and dance! in their company. And that's just what we did.
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For equality,
Kate McElwee
Executive Director
Katie Lacz
Program Director
| | Still Rising! A short film inspired by WOC's Ministry of Irritation | We are thrilled to share another installment of our Jubilee Year celebration videos, with this latest film centered on the creative, courageous, and bold witness of WOC over the years. Please enjoy—and see if you spot any WOC friends you recognize :) | | | | |
