"As women we have heard the powerful messages of our church addressing the dignity and reverence for all persons. As women we have pondered upon these words. Our contemplation leads us to state that the church in its struggle to be faithful to its call for reverence and dignity for all persons must respond by providing the possibility of women as persons being included in all ministries of our church. I urge you, your Holiness to be open to and respond to the voices coming from women in this country who are desiring of serving in and though the Church as fully participating members." Sister Theresa Kane RSM
The Sisters of Mercy announced yesterday the passing of Sister Mary Theresa Kane who died August 22, 2024 in Watchung, New Jersey. A Sister of Mercy for 69 years, she was 87 years old."
I am deeply grateful for Theresa Kane’s life-long support of women’s ordination. She is a prophet of gender equality whose legacy lives today in the hearts of Catholic women called to ordination.
I witnessed history being made on October 7, 1979 in the Shrine of the Immaculate Conception in Washington DC.
As Sister Theresa Kane called on Pope John Paul 11 to open all of the church's ministries to women, It felt like an energy wave moved through me that sparked a new awakening of possibilities that I never before considered.
I had come with my dear friend, Sister Regina Madonna Oliver. Both of us -at that time -were Philadelphia IHM's on home leave.
The Shrine was packed with women religious different orders - some in habit and some -like me- in secular dress. Nuns stood on the pews (gasp, I never saw that before) and other nuns -not in habits -wore blue armbands in support of women's ordination.
The air was electric -it felt like something really important was going to happen on this papal visit. When Sister Theresa Kane addressed the Pope and courageously called on him to open all ministries to women, you could hear a pin drop.
I am sure that she was aware that the Pope had just stated his opposite to women’s ordination in a speech to seminarians the day before.
Wow, we left wondering what would happen? Would ordination ever happen?
Some media coverage portrayed her challenging words as an attack on the Pope.
But, in my view, she started a Catholic revolution for gender equality and justice. Sister Theresa planted the seeds for a Women's Ordination world wide movement- that after 40 years- is still growing in support of women's call to ordination.
Sister Theresa Kane also planted the seeds that led 7 women to be ordained on the Danube in 2002.
Now there are 300 in the worldwide Roman Catholic Women Priests Movement birthing an emerging Church for everyone in small inclusive communities in which all are welcome and there is gender equality !
Thank you Sister Theresa Kane, prophet of gender equality and supporter of women priests!
May you dance with angels!
Bridget Mary Meehan ARCWP
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