Response to Vatican on Holy Orders for Woman
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
DECEMBER 5, 2025

December 4, 2025 the Vatican slammed the door on hundreds of vocations to the diaconate and priesthood with its seven-page report which denies the call of women to Holy Orders. Baptised Roman Catholics are not welcome to live out their vocation if they are female or non-binary. Roman Catholic Women Priests Canada (RCWP Canada), however, welcomes women and non-binary people called to serve others in Christ in a world weary of patriarchy rule. We are the living Cornerstone, a testament of the renewed RC Church which the “builders” continue to ignore, stumble over and deny, even as they fall on their face with this report. We women and other-gendered priests, in self-governing communities will continue to minister to the thousands of people on the margins and many of the Catholic population who have left in anger. When the Vatican denies evidence of women priests and bishops in recently unearthed Early Christian art, archeology and scripture, it holds to a lie that there have never been women priests in the Church. There is no doubt that the earliest house churches were led by women at the tables of the Eucharist.

In our present world where women and girls continue to be kidnapped, raped, murdered and starved by powerful men, what a tragedy it is that women in the Roman Catholic Church who are guided by the Spirit to stand for truth, compassion, justice and peace continue to be oppressed and denied full equality.

Inevitably, by denying the Spirit of Christ in women called to servant leadership through Holy Orders, the patriarchy harms not only women in the church but humanity itself. More and more sister Churches acknowledge the vocations of women who live out gospel values and answer the call of Christ to minister with compassion. We build bridges that lead to world peace. The fruit of our labour will speak for itself.

The movement of Roman Catholic women priests worldwide is gender inclusive. We in Roman Catholic Women Priests Canada welcome anyone with a vocation to the priesthood to join us in that work.

Contact
Teresa Elder Hanlon
(403) 359-0812
[email protected]

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EUCHARIST

November 2 – ZOOM ALL SOULS, Eucharist 10 AM Mountain
LINK: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/824404683491

November 2 – IN PERSON ALL SOULS, 7 PM at Hanlons' residence

November 16 – Library Eucharist, 11 AM IN PERSON
Includes anointing with oil for healing

OTHER EVENTS

November 13 – LICCF Council Gathering, Thursday, ONLINE at 7 PM
LINK: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/87824757603

Advent Book Study

November 23 – December 21 – IN PERSON Sundays, 3:00–4:30 PM at Hanlons'
Book Study of The Lost Mary by James D. Tabor

November 24 – December 22 – ONLINE Mondays, 6:30 PM MT
LINK: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/89363331019
Time Zones: Pacific 5:30 | Mountain 6:30 | Central 7:30 | Eastern 8:30 PM

Sessions run 1–1.5 hours depending on participants.

COST of BOOK: $39 CAD Hardcover; $16.99 on Kindle

Register at https://liccf.ca/book-study under the "BOOK STUDY" tab or call Teresa 403-359-0812

About the book:
The Lost Mary: Rediscovering the Mother of Jesus by James D. Tabor
A new historical investigation of the most powerful woman in the world.
Published by Alfred A. Knopf, New York, 2025. 166 pages plus notes and index.

Tabor researched Mary for 20 years — the Jewish woman who bore Jesus. We will explore her story and Tabor's insights, learning about the historical context of Jesus' family. We’ll read 2 chapters a week (approx. 60 pages) over 5 sessions.