Entries by waterstaff

May 22 Teleconference with Marie M. Fortune, Jeanette Stokes, Mary E. Hunt, and Diann L. Neu

gmd_2948“A Century of Creative Feminist Leadership in Religion”
Wednesday, May 22, 2013
1 pm – 2 pm EDT

• In 1977, Marie M. Fortune founded FaithTrust Institute to mobilize faith communities to address sexual and domestic violence.

• In 1977, Jeanette Stokes founded the Resource Center for Women and Ministry in the South (RCWMS) to support women in and entering ministry and to weave feminism and spirituality into a vision of justice for the world.

• In 1983, Mary E. Hunt and Diann L. Neu founded the Women’s Alliance for Theology, Ethics and Ritual (WATER) in response to the need for theological, ethical, and liturgical development for and by women.

Together, these modest non-profit organizations have logged more than a century of progressive feminist work for justice.

April 16 Pope Francis and the American Sisters by Mary E. Hunt

IMG_1277The jury is still out on Pope Francis in a pontificate that may well be shaped by women. A month after Cardinal Jorge Mario Bergoglio was named Bishop of Rome, his Prefect of the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith, Most Rev. Gerhard Ludwig Mueller, met with the presidents of the Leadership Conference of Women Religious, an umbrella group of American nuns that had come under doctrinal scrutiny and been found wanting.

Archbishop Mueller claimed that he had “recently discussed the Doctrinal Assessment with Pope Francis, who reaffirmed the findings of the Assessment and the program of reform for this Conference of Major Superiors.” On the face of it, this means that Archbishop J. Peter Sartain, Bishop Leonard P. Blair, and Bishop Thomas John Paprocki, who were named to enforce the terms the Congregation’s findings against the LCWR, are given carte blanche to do so. There may be more to this than meets the eye.

July 3-4 A Spiritual Gathering For All Women: Claiming Our Roots, Nourishing Our Branches

Dignity ConferenceWednesday, July 3rd, 1 PM – Thursday July 4th, 11 AM

Hilton Minneapolis, 1001 Marquette Avenue South, just off Nicollet Mall downtown.

Register at: Women’s Retreat on convention registration page: https://conv2013.dignityusa.org/civicrm/event/info?id=41&reset=1.

Suggested donation is $25, more if you can, less if you can’t!

Join us to claim our roots and nourish our branches.

For more information:

DignityWomen@DignityUSA.org
DignityUSA office 800.877.8797
Women’s Alliance for Theology, Ethics and Ritual (WATER)
waterstaff@waterwomensalliance.org or 301.589.2509

April 16 Article about Mary E. Hunt posted on Jann Aldredge-Clayton’s Blog

Mary HuntClick to read the article on Jann Aldredge-Claton’s blog.

“Changing Church: Dr. Mary E. Hunt, Catholic feminist theologian, Co-founder and Co-director of the Women’s Alliance for Theology, Ethics and Ritual (WATER), Silver Spring, Maryland”

More than two decades after women-church began, the movement is mature enough to let the needs of the world, not the failings of the institutional church, guide it. . . . It has always been a constructive feminist force that tries to embody what it envisions. Members keep the justice focus sharp by prodding one another to explore hard issues including racism, reproductive choice, homosexuality, and economic justice. . . . Leadership in house churches tends to rotate among participants. Empowering lots of people to be involved is a goal in women-church.

April 7 In Memory of Her: Ruth Harris, 1920-2013

Ruth Harris, a church leader of extraordinary gifts, died this week in Claremont, California, at the age of 92. WATER joins her countless friends and colleagues around the world in mourning her passing while giving abundant thanks for her marvelous life. The obituary that follows tells her story. It is written by her longtime partner […]

April 24 Teleconference with Gina Messina-Dysert

gmd_2948“In Search of Healing: Confronting Rape Culture and Spiritual Violence”
Wednesday, April 24
1 PM – 2 PM (EDT)

Gina Messina-Dysert, Ph.D., will begin her new appointment as Dean of the School of Graduate and Professional Studies at Ursuline College this July and is currently serving as Visiting Assistant Professor of Theological Ethics at Loyola Marymount University and Director of The Center for Women’s Interdisciplinary Research and Education at Claremont Graduate University.  She is also Co-founder and Co-Director of Feminism and Religion, an international project that explores the “F-word” in religion and the intersection between scholarship, activism, and community.

April 9 Happy Birthday, Janis Roihl!

403469_3538794162429_624530858_nWATER wishes Janis Roihl a wonderful 75th birthday. Janis is a networker par excellence whose work on the web keeps many people connected to idea, information, and one another. On this special day, we dedicate our efforts in gratitude for hers. Enjoy, Janis!