January 1- New Year - Time for Conversation with Pops Leo and Roman Catholic Women Priests-While The Vatican Hesitates Women Priests Ordain

I admire and deeply respect Pope Leo.

I hope this New Year will be a new beginning- a time for Synodal dialogue to become a reality- a conversation with Pope Leo -about the call and ministry of  real - flesh and blood Roman Catholic Women Priests who are creating a more welcoming, inclusive church of the people around the world. Why? Because we love Jesus, the sacraments, and all who are excluded and who seek a spiritual home where they are treated as baptized equals.

In our recent media release, the Association of Roman Catholic Women Priests (ARCWP) strongly rejects the Vatican's recent reaffirmation that women cannot be ordained, calling it a patriarchal distortion of the Gospel that ignores Jesus's commissioning of women like Mary Magdalene as apostles. Sadly their main argument is pure misogyny. A woman does not have the right male body part for the role!

ARCWP argues that denying women sacramental authority contradicts scripture, history (noting women's ordination for the first millennium), and the Spirit's call, with women in their movement already serving as priests and deacons in inclusive communities.  The Vatican's stance is stifling the Church's mission, hindering equality, and failing to recognize the divine call in women, calling instead for a return to baptismal equality where all are welcome in ministry. 

Scriptural Inaccuracy: The Vatican's claim that Jesus didn't choose women for priestly roles is false, given Mary Magdalene's role as the first preacher of the Resurrection, according to the Gospels.

Historical Precedent: For the first 1,000 years, women served as deacons with Holy Orders, a practice the modern Church unjustly ended. In addition, there is  evidence of women serving in priestly ministry in the early centuries of the Church's history. 

 Archaeology and inscriptions (2nd-6th centuries CE), strongly suggests women served as priests (presbyterae) and bishops (episcopae) in early Christianity with depictions in art showing women at altars and epitaphs naming female clergy in places like Italy, North Africa, and Asia Minor, though definitions of ordination and clerical roles differed from modern views. See  calendars with depictions by Dorothy Irvin and The Hidden History of Women's Ordination by Gary Macy.

Denial of the Divine: By excluding women, the Church denies God's image in women and diminishes itself, not just women.

Gospel vs. Patriarchy: The Vatican's decision reshapes the Gospel to fit a patriarchal structure, rather than embracing the truth of Jesus's inclusive vision.

Prophetic Obedience: ARCWP sees its ordinations as prophetic obedience, moving beyond talk to action by creating inclusive communities where women deacons and priests serve.

Call for Equality: They advocate for a model of Church rooted in baptismal equality, where all ministries, including ordination, are open to called and prepared individuals, serving God's people. 

What the Vatican Commission Said (Context):

A Vatican commission voted against ordaining women deacons but noted the discussion isn't settled, according to reports from December 2025.

The commission cited the "masculinity of Christ" as integral to sacramental identity, a point ARCWP finds theologically unsound and an insult.

Pope Leo is expected to consider the commission's findings, which came after years of study and consultation, including input from women's groups. 

ARCWP/RCWP have requested a meeting with Pope Leo to share our vocations to serve the people of God in inclusive communities and ministries. But so far, we have not received a response. I pray daily that Pope Leo will open the door to conversation with us.

 https://www.thetablet.co.uk/news/archbishop-of-armagh-surprised-over-vatican-report-on-women-deacons/

“He noted that the president of the commission, Cardinal Petrocchi, had observed that this is a question to be decided on a doctrinal level and therefore the ordination of women as deacons remains open to further theological and pastoral study. 

“The question of the women’s diaconate specifically now returns to Pope Leo for further discernment, with the most recent magisterial teaching on it being paragraph 60 of the final synod document: ‘The question of women’s access to diaconal ministry remains open. This discernment needs to continue.’” https://bridgetmarys.blogspot.com/2025/12/vatican-says-no-women-priests-say-go.html?m=1

A Prayer for Inner Healing by Bridget Mary Meehan, ARCWP

 

When I experience painful relationships
where there are no words left to say
and nothing more to do,
I place each person tenderly in God's care
as in a wide and waiting sea of love.

Each morning, I begin again—
blessing everyone involved,
including myself.
I pray silently for healing
beyond what I can understand or control.

In the stillness of my heart,
I imagine the Holy Spirit
breathing peace into wounded hearts.

I trust that grace is at work
even when I cannot see it,
that love continues to flow
where human efforts have ended.

I pray:

Holy Wisdom, Womb of Mercy,
Mothering God who holds all life,
heal what is broken within us,
cradle our pain with compassion,
and midwife new life where hope feels thin.

Wrap us in Your sheltering presence,
breathe wholeness into our bodies and souls,
and gently lead us—
in Your time and in Your way—
into freedom, healing, and abiding peace.

Amen.

“Fight, Flight, or Faithfulness” Matthew 2:13-15, 19-23 December 28, 2025 Rev. Annie Watson, Holy Family Catholic Church

People might be surprised that the birth of a poor, peasant boy named Jesus is such a threat to King Herod the Great. But Herod is so rattled by the future messiah’s birth that he conspires to have Jesus killed, if he can find him. His fear results in what is called the “Massacre of the Innocents.”

Herod is worried because people believed the messiah would become the king of the Jews. Herod is worried, maybe not so much for himself because he is already an older man, but for his children and grandchildren who are due to be the ones who shall inherit the reins of this kingdom.

In fact, after Herod dies a short time later, the Romans divide up the kingdom of Judea among his three sons and a daughter. At the time, they didn’t understand that the baby Jesus was never going to be a threat to take over the throne of Judea, but he does turn out to be a bigger threat to their power and influence than anyone could anticipate.

Joseph gets wind of King Herod’s intentions when the angel of the Lord appears to him in a dream, warning him to take his young family to Egypt to escape the crosshairs of Herod’s murderous plot. Like most people, Joseph must have had an initial reaction to this threat. What should he do to protect his family?

We often hear the phrase “fight or flight” as the two instinctive responses to danger. When something threatens us, we either brace ourselves to confront it or run as fast as we can away from the danger. But in Matthew chapter 2, we see something deeper—something holier—than instinct. We see faithfulness.

Joseph receives a warning in a dream: Herod is seeking to destroy the child. In that moment, Joseph doesn’t fight. He doesn’t freeze or fawn over his pursuer. He doesn’t even choose flight in the way we normally think of it. Instead, he chooses faithful obedience. He takes Mary and Jesus and flees to Egypt—not out of fear, but out of faith or trust.

Sometimes God’s direction or instructions to us looks like retreat. Sometimes the holiest thing we can do is leave, wait, hide, or step back. Not because we’re weak, but because God is working a plan larger than our immediate instincts, and the plan needs time to mature.

Later, when the danger has passed, Joseph is told again in a dream to return. And again, he faithfully obeys. His life becomes a rhythm of listening and responding—moving when God says move, staying when God says stay.

So, this story reminds us that:

• Not every battle is ours to fight. Some dangers are best avoided, not confronted.

• Not every retreat is a cowardly act. Sometimes it is how God protects us.

• Not every delay is defeat. Sometimes we need the extra time to prepare for what happens next. 

The question for us in the face of danger is not “Should I fight or flee?” but rather, How can I be faithful to God’s will? Of our three choices—fight, flight, or faith—faith is always the first choice. Amen.

Kansan returns to the Catholic Church as the state's first woman priest • Kansas Reflector

 

Tina Thompson (left) and Bishop Paula Hoeffer RCWP 

Article written by Anna Kaminski

https://kansasreflector.com/2025/12/29/kansan-returns-to-the-catholic-church-as-the-states-first-woman-priest/

Thompson said she is the first Roman Catholic Woman Priest in Kansas, but she is one of hundreds of women Catholic priests around the world.

“We are still the church, but we are different in that we open the tent,” Thompson said. “We want everyone to feel like they are welcome.”

The organization’s mission focuses on ordaining mostly women who feel called to priesthood. It is often oriented toward social justice, Thompson said. The organization says its ordinations are valid because they have abided by apostolic succession, which refers to the transition of power from bishops and popes that originated with the Apostles. Each person who performs an ordination is connected to that line of authority.

A 10-member commission created by the late Pope Francis affirmed in a study made public earlier this month that women are not allowed to be ordained deacons, which are a rank below priests.

Thompson was raised Catholic. The religion was rooted in her family’s everyday. Her grandfather prayed each morning, she said. As she got older, Thompson drifted from the church. She did not condone its views, including those against divorce, women and same-sex marriage, and condemned its handling of cases of sexual abuse.

She was away from the church for roughly 20 years, but she said Catholicism was always a part of her.

A Prayer to Awaken to the Goodness in the Heart of life

We can embrace each day as a new beginning aware of God’s presence within and all around.

“I came that you may have life, and have it abundantly.”

John 10:10

A Prayer by Bridget Mary Meehan, ARCWP

Holy Presence,

Breath of Life moving through all creation,

awaken us to the goodness

pulsing at the heart of life itself.

At the dawn of each day,

teach us to receive this moment

as a sacred beginning—

fresh with possibility,

brimming with grace.

Open our eyes to Your presence

dwelling within us,

stirring in our deepest longings,

and shimmering all around us

in earth, sky, and every living being.

When fear narrows our vision,

remind us that You desire fullness for us—

life unfolding in joy, compassion, and courage.

When weariness weighs us down,

restore our trust in the abundance You promise.

May we live awake

to the holy ground beneath our feet,

to the goodness beating in our own hearts,

and to the call to share this life generously

with all whom we meet.

Jesus, you assure us:

“I came that you may have life,

and have it abundantly.”

Root this promise deep within us,

that we may rise each day

to choose love,

to nurture hope,

and to celebrate the gift of being alive in You.

Amen.

— Bridget Mary Meehan, ARCWP

Walking in Our Sandals” by Annie Watson ARCWP, Christmas Homily

Luke 2:1-20

December 24, 2025

Rev. Annie Watson, Holy Family Catholic Church

No matter the size of our feet, the Christmas story teaches us that God has walked in our sandals, after he grew up enough to walk. This is what makes us unique. Our faith teaches that God literally becomes flesh in the person of Jesus Christ, breathes in the air of the earth’s atmosphere, and lives an average lifespanfor that place and time, although he was murdered unjustly at the end. 

This story is not a work of fiction; it is a real, historical event. As John’s gospel says, “The Word became flesh and lived among us.” If someone had walked around with a camera, therewould have been pictures, sandals and all.

I like this image of God walking in our sandals because sandals were everyday footwear in that time and place. They were dusty and ordinary, worn by real people in real places. To say God walks in our sandals is to say that God experiences what we experience, not from above but from within. God is not a spectator to human struggle but a participant in it.

The Christmas story is not just about a baby being born; it’s about God taking on flesh—hunger, fatigue, joy, pain, relationships, limitations. God doesn’t just understand humanity in theory but lives it. God is not aloof. God is empathetic to our needs. 

This is a core teaching of our faith. God lives within a specific culture and historical moment. God suffers and dies through Jesus. Through Jesus, God embraces human fragility. (I suspect his sandals didn’t always fit perfectly either, and he probably suffered from that.)

We call this the “incarnation,” which means a deity embodied the flesh of a human being. “God is with us.” This is more than just divine presence, however; this is divine participation in human life. Most religions speak of gods visiting, appearing, or inspiring humans. Christianity claims something far more radical: God becomes one of us.

At the Council of Chalcedon in 451 AD, Jesus was declared “Truly God, Truly Man,” that is, Jesus was 100% divine and 100% human. Mathematicians might have a hard time with those numbers, but theologians are not bound by math formulas.They claim that in Jesus, God and humanity are united in one person without subtracting from his divinity or humanity.

No matter our math skills, Christmas is the story of Mary giving birth to God in the flesh. And when that baby grew up, he walked in our sandals. They touched the earth. They met us where we are: at work, in relationships, in our hopes and fears, and in our joys and sorrows. 

How this happened is one of the great mysteries of our faith, but on a more practical level it serves as a model of ministry for you and me. Just as God “dwelt among us,” we too are encouraged to be present with others, to be in solidarity with others, to show humility in our humanity, and to engage with others through our respective cultures. 

Through Jesus, God has walked in our sandals, and now we walk in Jesus’ sandals. And they are really big sandals to fill.

Who Are the Real Angels- Messengers of God’s Love in your Life? Christmas Homily 2025-

Homily: Bridget Mary Meehan

In these times of turmoil and anxiety, there are angels in our home, community and all around reminding us that the glory of God surrounds us and guides us like a brilliant light- illuminating our path. 

The Glory of God enfolds us like a cosmic womb.

In the first reading the prophet Isaiah describes the nurturing aspects of darkness that enfolds us like a cosmic womb. Elizabeth Johnson, in her powerful reflections on the divine, speaks of the "cosmic womb" of God. She writes that the divine is not only the creator of life but the very space that holds and nurtures all life. Johnson imagines this divine womb as a place where all creation is born and continually re-birthed, a divine matrix of life that nurtures and protects. In this image, we are reminded that the incarnation is not just about a moment in history but about the ongoing presence of God that holds the entire universe in love. We are invited into that womb to receive God’s peace, which casts out all fear.

We can give birth to the divine every day.

The medieval mystic, Meister Eckhart, reminds us that “We are all mothers of God.” 

Like Mary, we have the capacity to give birth to the divine within. This means that the Christ Presence is not only born into the world through the historical Mary, but also through each of us, in every moment we choose to welcome God into our lives. The power of love triumphs over our fears and Christ is born anew within us each and every day through our compassionate care of our sisters and brothers and our prophetic witness to the Gospel.

We are one, connected in the Cosmic Christ

Our second reading from Hebrews reminds us that Emmanuel God dwelled in our midst in Jesus and forever in the Cosmic Christ; in whom we are one and in whom we live, and move and have our being. Here we are all one, connected, in the. Depths of divine love. Here is our deepest reality, our soul power where there is nothing to fear.

There is nothing to fear, God is here. 

In the Gospel of Luke, the angel voices assure the shepherds, with the words: “Do not fear.”

Richard Rohr invites us to see fear not as something to be condemned but as something to be transformed even in our struggles, doubts, and fears. He writes, “When we truly grasp this, fear begins to lose its hold on us. The divine light, though overwhelming at first, is not meant to blind us but to reveal a deeper reality: God is here.”

Listen to Real Life Angels in our world today

The real angels, who birth the divine are among us, are those who step into our fear-filled moments with messages of hope, encouragement, inspiration and strength.

Who are the real angels, the messengers of God’s love, showing us that in ordinary life, light and grace, can prevail? 

Let us pause now for a minute and give thanks for the angels of grace in our lives and world.

In our MMOJ community, you are the real flesh and blood angels- who inspire, challenge and comfort me each week in these crazy times when the world seems upside down. Thank you! 

Like the angels we are and are called to be, let us celebrate this Christmas Eve with good news of great joy!

Community Sharing: All

 

A Christmas Prayer by Bridget Mary Meehan ARCWP

Holy Mystery of Love,
You enter our world quietly—
breathing among us
in the fragile wonder of a newborn child.
In the soft stillness of Christmas,
we pause,
and open the door of our hearts
to receive You again.

You come without fanfare,
not enthroned in power,
but resting in vulnerability—
cradled by Mary’s courage,
guarded by Joseph’s faith,
laid in a manger where heaven
meets earth.

In this holy birth,
You reveal the face of Divine Love—
gentle, expansive,
a tenderness that bends low
and gathers all into its embrace.

On this sacred night,
awaken us to the Christ born within—
the quiet radiance dwelling in every soul,
the holy spark stirring compassion,
calling us to honor Your image
alive in every people and culture,
in Earth’s wounded beauty,
and in all creation longing for justice and peace.

May the light of this Child
shine into the broken places of our world:
where violence hardens hearts, bring peace;
where exclusion closes doors, widen the circle;
where despair crushes the spirit,
ignite a hope strong enough to carry us through.

As Mary brought forth Jesus, 
may we, too, give birth to Christ—
in acts of tenderness and courage,
in daring love and faithful resistance,
in lives poured out for the sake of others.

Guide us to live the Gospel with open hands
and fearless hearts—
proclaiming good news to all,
freedom to the oppressed,
and sacred dignity
to every one of God’s beloved.

We pray in communion with Jesus, our brother,
born of God’s boundless love,
trusting in the Light
that no darkness can ever overcome.

Amen.

A Healing Miracle by Bridget Mary Meehan ARCWP

 

Rich K.

Rich K was in a coma in intensive care for seven days, completely unresponsive. Years earlier, after a painful experience with the Church following his son’s suicide, Rich had stepped away from Catholicism.

During those long days in the ICU, Rich’s wife, Delilah, asked me to come and anoint him. I visited Rich at his bedside, signed him with holy oil, and prayed the Rite of the Anointing of the Sick. Members of several faith communities—including Oakwood Manor and Mary Mother of Jesus Inclusive Catholic Community—faithfully held Rich in daily prayer.

A few days later, Rich came out of the coma.

Delilah later shared what happened next:

“I have to tell you what Rich said today. I told him that you came in and anointed him with oil, and he said, ‘Oh my goodness—I’m Catholic again!’ Then he proceeded to tell his nurse all about you and how wonderful you were. It reminded me of the Bible story where Jesus heals the man with leprosy and he runs away, leaping with joy. Rich was like that all day—loving everybody and everything.”

The following Sunday, Delilah added with a smile:

“He thinks so too—he even turned off sports this morning and watched church on TV 😇.”

To me, this is a healing miracle—not only of the body, but of the heart and spirit. It is a powerful reminder that God’s grace reaches us even in our deepest pain, and that love, prayer, and sacrament can open doors we thought were long closed.

I just received a text from Delilah that Rich was released from the hospital this evening.

Thanks be to God.

A Prayer of Healing and Returning Grace

Holy and Tender God,
Source of life, mercy, and unending compassion,
we thank you for your healing presence
that meets us in hospital rooms,
in moments of despair,
and in the quiet places where faith has been wounded.

We thank you for Rich’s life,
for the breath that returned,
for the joy that awakened,
and for the grace that rekindled his spirit.
We thank you for Delilah’s loving faith,
for communities who prayed without ceasing,
and for the sacrament of healing
that carries your promise of wholeness.

Healing God,
reach into every heart that has stepped away in pain,
every soul carrying grief, anger, or unanswered questions.
Remind us that nothing—
not loss, not doubt, not time—
can separate us from your love.

May your Spirit continue to restore
bodies, hearts, and relationships.
May joy leap again where sorrow once lived.
And may we trust, always,
that your grace finds us—
again and again—
when we least expect it.

Amen.