Reflection on Mary Magdalene: Role Model for Women in Ordained Ministries in the Roman Catholic Church by Bridget Mary Meehan

Mary Theresa Streck and Bridget Mary in Rome with members of Women’s Ordination Worldwide in 2023 at witness for gender equality in all ministries including ordination.

Opening Prayer:

Loving God, in every age you raise up prophets of courage and witnesses of justice. As we reflect on the life and legacy of Mary Magdalene, open our hearts to her bold witness, her faithful love, and her apostolic voice. May we too become bearers of good news and builders of inclusive community in the heart of infinite love. Amen.

Scripture Reading: John 20:11–18

“I have seen the Lord,” she said, and she told them what he had said to her.

Reflection:

Mary Magdalene—once dismissed as a repentant sinner or overshadowed by the male apostles—has emerged in our time as a prophetic figure of discipleship, leadership, and faithfulness. She is not only the first witness to the Resurrection but the first preacher of the Good News. In John’s Gospel, she stands at the empty tomb, weeping in grief, but she does not run away. She stays, and her steadfastness becomes the soil where revelation takes root.

Bridget Mary Meehan, bishop in the Association of Roman Catholic Women Priests, lifts up Mary Magdalene as “the first apostle,” one who teaches us that God chooses women to be bearers of resurrection even when the institution does not. Meehan writes:

“Mary Magdalene was commissioned by the Risen Christ to proclaim the Good News to the male apostles. Her apostolic authority came directly from Jesus, not from any human institution. She is the patron of women whose call to priesthood and leadership is too often denied or silenced by church authorities.”

(Bridget Mary Meehan, “Living Gospel Equality Now,” 2010)

Mary Magdalene embodies courageous presence. She does not flee the cross. She does not abandon the tomb. She remains rooted in love. In a world that so often marginalizes women’s voices, her unwavering witness still echoes: “I have seen the Lord.”

This declaration is not just a moment in history; it is a resurrection happening—a divine spark that continues through the voices of women today who preach, lead, and build inclusive communities. Bridget Mary Meehan and many women priests walk in Mary Magdalene’s footsteps, proclaiming that radical love transcends boundaries of gender, hierarchy, and exclusion.

The Risen Christ did not appear first in the temple, or before the Sanhedrin, or even to Peter. He appeared to Mary Magdalene—outside the walls, in a garden, in the stillness of grief and love. It is a deeply symbolic moment. Resurrection doesn’t only erupt from institutional centers; it bursts forth in the margins, among the faithful ones who stay when others leave.

Just as Mary Magdalene was called to go and tell the Good News, women today are called to priestly ministry not as an act of defiance, but as obedience to the Spirit alive in our time.

Our Call to Action:

To follow Mary Magdalene today is to:

• Speak resurrection where there is despair.
• Refuse to be silenced by structures that deny your dignity.
• Remain steadfast in love, especially when others turn away.
• Build inclusive tables where every voice matters.

Closing Reflection:

As Mary Magdalene once stood in a garden and recognized her Teacher in the sound of her name, so too may we listen for the voice of the Risen One calling us to rise, to witness, and to lead. And like her, may we go forth, saying with courage:

“I have seen the Lord.”

Rising in Love: Trusting Christ in Times of Fear with Mary Magdalene as Our Guide by Bridget Mary Meehan ARCWP

In the shadows of fear and uncertainty, when the world seems unmoored and chaos threatens to undo us, we turn to the powerful example of Mary Magdalene, the apostle to the apostles. She stood before the fearful disciples — traumatized by the crucifixion, overwhelmed by the threat of persecution, and paralyzed by grief — and she stood up.

“Then Mary stood up and greeted them, she tenderly kissed them all and said: ‘Brothers and sisters, do not be distressed, do not be in doubt, for his grace will be with you, sheltering you.’”
— Gospel of Mary 5:4–6

These words are not merely comfort. They are an act of empowering resurrection faith. Mary Magdalene, who had witnessed both the agony of the cross and the mystery of the risen Christ, did not retreat into silence. She rose — a woman in a male-dominated world — to proclaim hope when all seemed lost.

Today, we face our own times of turmoil. Around the world, political unrest is rising. Environmental collapse threatens us with violent storms and widespread destruction. Injustice and oppression continue to weigh down communities. On a personal level, many of us carry heavy burdens — anxiety, depression, fear, and doubt. In the midst of it all, we may feel tempted to do what the disciples did: to shrink back, to hide, or to lose hope.

But Mary Magdalene calls us to stand up.

She shows us that faith is not the absence of fear — it is the courage to love and lead in the midst of fear and doubt. Her trust was not in safety or survival, but in the presence of the living Christ, whose grace shelters us, even in suffering. She embodies what Richard Rohr calls the cruciform path, where we learn to “live in the flow” of divine love even when everything else seems to collapse. Rohr writes:

“True faith doesn’t come from theology books or dogmas, but from trust — from falling into the arms of the living God. That’s what Mary Magdalene did.”
— Richard Rohr, The Universal Christ

We can imagine Mary Magdalene whispering to us today, as she did to the frightened disciples:
“Do not be distressed. Do not be in doubt. His grace will shelter you.”

Joan Chittister reminds us that:

“It is in the midst of the storm that we find out what anchors us.”
— Joan Chittister, Scarred by Struggle, Transformed by Hope

Mary Magdalene was anchored not in power, not in privilege, not in the Roman system — but in the deep well of Christ’s love that cannot be extinguished by death or empire.

And so today, we are called to embody that same presence of  boundless love To rise, like Mary, and speak words of hope where there is fear. To love tenderly where others lash out. To be a sheltering grace in our communities — especially for those who are most vulnerable and oppressed.

We do this not by pretending the pain isn’t real — but by trusting, as Mary did, that resurrection is already underway, even when we cannot yet see it. In places of political unrest or turmoil, we are called to be voices of compassion and justice. In the face of climate disasters, we trust in Christ’s presence and act as stewards of creation. In personal struggles, we practice radical self-compassion and community healing, knowing that we are loved and held.

Let us stand with Mary Magdalene. Let us trust, not because we are unafraid, but because we know — like her — that grace shelters us even in the storm.

And may our lives echo her message:

“Do not be distressed, do not be in doubt, for Christ's grace will be with you, sheltering you.”

Celebrating the Sacred Feminine in Your Life- PCS 310 with Bridget Mary Meehan ARCWP

No grades, papers, simply, relax, nurture your soul, and enjoy a spiritual exploration into an awesome treasure! Contemplate your identity as a vibrant image of the Sacred Feminine- in exhaustible divine love-in your life and world.

Contact for more information: Bridget Mary Meehan
sofiabmm.bmm@gmail.com

Here is link to sign up for PCS 310 Celebrating the Sacred Feminine in your life an independent- go at your own pace- retreat or study for individual or group sharing:

https://pcseminary.teachable.com/p/pcs-310-celebratingthesacredfeminineinyourlife




COURSE/RETREAT FORMAT: (Introduction and 5 Sections)

Celebrating the Sacred Feminine in your life invites you to explore the beautiful

mosaic of names and images that depict God's All-Embracing, inclusive love for us.

Each section provides imagery of the sacred feminine in Scripture,

the Christian mystics and in contemporary life.

It is available as a private retreat , an independent study, or

as a course for sharing in a cohort model.

Cohorts meet regularly in a Zoom video conference to share insights on their

meditations.

For those taking this course as an independent study or retreat,

Bridget Mary will be available upon request to share with you in phone or Zoom

conversations.







Video introduction with Dr. Bridget Mary Meehan ARCWP


Introduction to Course: Celebrating the Sacred Feminine in your life PCS 310 : features biblical images from Hebrew and Christian bible and feminine images from the mystics and saints as well as contemporary writers and all kinds of great links to theologians like Matthew Fox, etc.

Amazonian Rite’s proposition will include suggestion for ordination of women deacons and married men | Crux

 https://cruxnow.com/church-in-the-americas/2025/05/amazonian-rites-proposition-will-include-suggestion-for-ordination-of-women-deacons-and-married-men

The text says it’s urgent that in the Amazonian Church “ministries are promoted and trusted to women and men in an equitable way.” Men and women must be granted the power to officiate the sacraments, baptizing and celebrating marriages. It must be created an instituted ministry of “female community leader” and women must be ordained deacons.

“For an authentic Amazonian Rite, it’s essential that women can, in a symmetric and complementary way, occupy spaces as preachers and officiants of sacraments, as well as in the organization and the structures of the Church,” the document affirms.

According to Bishop Eugenio Coter of Pando, Bolivia, one of the coordinators of the elaboration of the Amazonian Rite, the commissions haven’t argued for the legitimacy of the ordination of women deacons, given that it’s a matter that it’s up to the universal Church to analyze.

“In part, it corresponds to an acknowledgement of the women’s role in the celebratory spaces. It’s coherent to the logic of the women’s presence in the Amazonian communities. But it’s something that surpasses the Amazonian Ecclesial Conference due to its doctrinal nature,” Coter told Crux.

He recalled that some ecclesial segments objected to the ordination of women deacons arguing that it would be an incentive to a kind of clericalism. He doesn’t agree with such a thesis.

“That corresponds to saying that the sacrament of the order creates a clerical mindset. I don’t think so. It’s a lack of understanding of the sacrament of the order,” Coter argued.

Concerning the viri probati, Coter emphasized that it’s also something typical of the Amazonian context to expect that an authority is a married man and knows how to guide his family.

“The ability to keep a mature and stable relationship is part of the dignity of the authorities, otherwise that leader causes mistrust,” he explained.

Coter recalled that the final document of the Synod for the Pan-Amazon region included a request from the bishops for the ordination of married men.

“It has never been answered. That’s also a

A Celebration of Life for Pat Lewis, May 1,2025, St. Andrew UCC, Sarasota, Florida

Pat and Bob Lewis on wedding day

Bridget Mary Meehan ARCWP

 

Michael Rigdon

      

Mary Al Gagnon

Opening Song: Amazing Grace

  

Gathering Prayer:

Loving God, we gather now to celebrate the life of Pat Lewis who has passed away. We give thanks for the many blessings that our dearly loved Pat brought to us. May Your loving presence comfort her family, friends, and neighbors in their grief for this great loss. In this Celebration of Life, we comfort one another as we pray together and share stories and precious memories of Pat.

Psalm 23:  

L: God is my shepherd, I   shall not want. 

All: God is my shepherd,   I  shall  not  want.

L: God, you are my shepherd. I want nothing more. You let me lie down in green meadows. You lead me beside restful waters. Your refresh my soul. 

All: God is my shepherd, I shall not want.

L: You guide me to lush pastures for the sake of your Name. Even if l'm surrounded by shadows of

death, I fear no danger, for you are with me.

All: God is my shepherd, I shall not want.

L: Your rod and your staff: They give me courage. You spread a table for me in the presence of my enemies, and you anoint my head with oil, my cup overflows.

All: God is my shepherd, I shall not want.

L: Only goodness and Jove will follow me all the days of my life, and I will dwell in your house, God, for days without end.

All: God is my shepherd, I shall not want.

New Testament Gospel: John 14:1-3

Don't let your hearts be troubled. You have faith in God;

In God's house there are many dwelling places;

Otherwise, how could I have told you that I was going to prepare a place for you? I am indeed going to prepare a place for you

And then I will come back to take you, that where I am, there you may be as well.

Sharing of Tributes for Pat by Family, Friends and Neighbors

Bob Lewis begins the sharing with (Irish Prayer Blessing)

Closing Song: I Have A Dream

Irish Prayer

Death is nothing at all

I have only slipped away to the next room.

I am I, and you are you.

Put no difference into your tone.

Wear no forced air of solemnity or sorrow.

Laugh as we always laughed at the little jokes, we enjoyed together.

Play, smile, think of me. Pray for me.

Let my name be ever the household word that it always was. Let it be spoken without effect.

Without the trace of a shadow on it.

Life means all that it ever meant. It is the same that it ever was.

There is absolute unbroken continuity.

Why should I be out of mind because I am out of sight?

I am but waiting for you.

For an interval. Somewhere. Very near.

Just around the corner. All is well.

Nothing is past; nothing is lost. One brief moment and all will be as it was before, only better, infinitely happier and forever we will all be one together with Christ.

Pink Smoke Over Vatican - documentary film- now free on YouTube and Vimeo

 The groundbreaking documentary about the beginnings of the Roman Catholic Women Priests, Association of Roman Catholic Women Priests is now on YouTube and Vimeo for free

PINK SMOKE OVER THE VATICAN  (1 hour)

              Youtube:  

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xrY6gy3dvLc

             PINK SMOKE OVER THE VATICAN 

              Vimeo :   https://vimeo.com/1079591922?share=copy#t=0

An ARCWP Prayer For the World and Universal People of God during Creative Conclave Conversion and Beyond.

(Women Priests Celebrating Jubilee Year 2000 - 2001.

Tell me what some members of The Conclave should look like?

This is what some members of The Conclave should look like!)

Welcome, Welcome, Welcome Sweet Sophia Spirit of God! Be With All of Us!

     As The Association of Roman Catholic Women Priests, we recall Pope Francis’ visit to Philadelphia in 2015. Rather than leaving the church, in the same city, Our Women Priests led the church by consecrating three women bishops in Apostolic Succession while forever extending the meaning of and re-defining The City of Brotherly Love under the nose of Dear Pope Francis. 

(Women Priests Movement during Pope Francis’ visit. Philadelphia 2015)

     Now in 2025, we your Easter People come to you grateful for the life of Pope Francis, his works and witness inspiring millions of people throughout the world. However, his legacy is filled with contradictions on several key issues including the pedophile scandal, mixed messages about all women and still excluding women called from ordained ministry and LBGTIQA people that continues to cause serious harm and violence. When challengers pressed forward about why the policies cannot be changed? Those asking were met with shaming messages insisting that making such reforms would cause schism. All part of the patriarchal grand plan of blaming the survivors while helping to provide theological justification for not holding the perpetrators accountable. With more people having left the church than still going, who are they so afraid of losing?

(Janice Severe-Duszynska & Donna Panero resisting the police in Rome. 2000-2001)

     Even though, Francis has been the most progressive pope yet, the video images of his funeral document Synodalityis a current failure. The unfolding of the wake and funeral presented an active crime scene that the entire world was invited to complicitly witness. The reporters normalized the medieval displays of long parades of men in dresses, with exquisite lace and fancy hats taking their seats at the funeral. While only one-woman reader and a couple of women reading intercessory prayers represented half of humankind. No one said, “What is wrong with this picture?”

(Pope Francis. Philadelphia. 2015)

     Dear Sweet Sophia, I thought I saw you showing your continually active, loving, powerful self in the storybook ending to Francis’ life. I imagined You at work, allowing Francis to journey through all Holy Week and even blessing people on Easter Sunday to die early Easter Monday morning. I wanted to believe that was no mere coincidence. I felt certain you were active during the last week of Francis’ life. Conversely, what was on display and what was absent, during the days of wake and funeral, makes me wonder where you were? Sophia, the world cannot afford for you to be missing in action right now!

Ruach, in your mighty wind, You once swept over the face of chaos at the cosmic burst of creation and continuing to do so in your Primary Revelation of nature today! We ask that you address and reveal your mighty winds of transformative, loving, powerful, active self throughout All the events of intrigue and fascination at the Vatican. Use the energetic attention of so many people worldwide for total Creative Conclave conversion. Normalizing a model of a small electorate that excludes half of humanity is no longer viable. In this graced moment of in-between stop the assumption of only 133 male-only Cardinals choosing a leader for more than One Billion people. Sophia Spirit, we ask you to totally reorder the decision-making gatherings in Rome! We ask for your dynamic presence every step of this way! Sophia, You once sent your strong mighty wind into an upper room filled with scared disciples at Pentecost. Act again, before those fragile men enter The Sistine Chapel! We do not accept this process must proceed the way it has always been done. We know You can make All things New! Make real Synodality happen, Now!

(Women Priests. Synodality 2023. Rome

Mary Theresa Streck ARCWP , Bridget Mary Meehan ARCWP.If only they were welcome inside The Conclave!)

 

     Furthermore, Sophia Spirit, use this opportune time of the world’s attention to let your steadfast womb-love, peace, and justice reign! We ask you to manifest a full Metanoia by coalescing humanity away from the dangerous trajectory we have been on. Roll the stones of collective hard heartedness away! We ask for protection from evil actors who may believe we are distracted by the events in Rome from trying to take advantage. Instead, give us an abundance of Recognition Events that turn white eggs to red before the current Caesars of this world! Move us into your larger mind and heart! Bring about an era of love and realized concern for all our neighbors including the most marginalized as we return to protecting Mother Earth, Our Home. Arise, amongst your people, strengthening right relationships from individual, to community, country to the world! Act Now, Sweet Sophia Spirit!

(Janice Severe-Duszynska carrying an envelope with information about our movement  and a copy of dvd Pink Smoke. Christina Moreira provided the contact in the Vatican. Both Janice and Christina hand- delivered the letter to  a Monsignor in the Vatican who agreed to share this information with the Pope in 2016. )

     Forever grateful for Mary Magdalene’s Easter report and surrounded by Our Cloud of Witnesses, we invoke your Alchemical Presence during this Sacred Easter season of Resurrection, Christ is Risen Indeed, Alleluia, therefore we boldly await pink smoke!

May it be so! May it be so! May it be so! Jubilate 2024 – 2025!

(Karen Kerrigan. Orans Posture. In front of The Tomb of Saint Peter. St. Peter’s Basilica. 2002)

Prayer written by Karen Kerrigan ARCWP. April 27, 2025.

(Janice Severe-Duszynska ARCWP. “Die-in Demonstration. Philadelphia 2015

“They thought they could bury us. They did not realize we were seeds!” Watch video of Janice being interviewed by Democracy Now’s Amy Goodman. Link below.)

(Source: Democracy Now Video from 2015. Pope Francis and The Association of Roman Catholic Women Priests in Philadelphia) https://www.democracynow.org/2015/9/24/female_priests_stage_die_in_outside

Photos Courtesy of Diane Dougherty ARCWP & Brigid Mary Meehan ARCWP