Meet Brigid O'Malley: A Woman Priest Who Doesn't Take No for an Answer in my new, fun, mystery book, The Vatican Invitation

 https://www.amazon.com/Vatican-Invitation-Bridget-Mary-Meehan/dp/B0HLTZ61XH/ref=tmm_pap_swatch_0?_encoding=UTF8&dib_tag=se&dib=eyJ2IjoiMSJ9.BI4zZjjsXcQERQwy3y3rtg.g1MVCP49BzgB-hi2URzop_NDomnUVHF4iq2eRmd-S-E&qid=1792078015&sr=1-1

What happens when a Roman Catholic woman priest receives a mysterious invitation to the Vatican—and discovers that someone is willing to kill to keep a secret buried?

Well, my friends, that is where the fun begins!

I am delighted to introduce my new mystery novel, The Vatican Invitation, a story that combines my love of the Catholic Church, my passion for women's equality, my Irish sense of humor, and my lifelong conviction that the Holy Spirit has a wonderful way of opening doors that some people would prefer to keep locked!

After writing many books about spirituality, prayer, women in the Bible, and the movement for women priests, I decided it was time to have a little fun with fiction.

What better setting for a mystery than the Vatican, where centuries of history, beautiful art, ancient archives, powerful personalities, and more than a few secrets offer endless possibilities?

Of course, I couldn't resist putting a courageous woman priest right in the middle of it all!

Meet Brigid O'Malley: A Woman Priest Who Doesn't Take No for an Answer

My fictional heroine, Rev. Dr. Brigid O'Malley, is an Irish-American Roman Catholic woman priest with a courageous heart, a lively sense of humor, and a remarkable talent for finding herself where women priests aren't exactly expected—or welcomed!

Brigid has spent much of her life walking through doors that others have told her are closed.

When she receives a mysterious invitation from a Vatican insider known only as Phoebe, she wonders whether something extraordinary is about to happen.

Could secret conversations within the Vatican lead to a breakthrough for women's equality in the Catholic Church?

Could courageous women working behind the scenes be preparing the way for historic change?

Or is something much more dangerous unfolding?

Before Brigid can discover the answers, Vatican archivist Father Luca Moretti collapses and dies at her feet.

His final words point toward a clandestine group called the Impossible Circle.

Suddenly, Brigid finds herself caught in a deadly mystery involving hidden documents, secret alliances, betrayal, and people who will do almost anything to protect their power.

And she thought dealing with Church authorities was challenging enough!

A Vatican Mystery with an Unlikely Cast of Characters

As Brigid follows the clues, she encounters a suspicious Swiss Guard, a fearless elderly nun, and extraordinary women whose quiet service within the Vatican has made them nearly invisible.

Together, they uncover a trail leading through ancient Roman churches, secret archives, mysterious catacombs, and the corridors of the Apostolic Palace.

Unexpected twists, dangerous encounters, surprising friendships, and moments when Brigid's Irish wit may be almost as useful as her prayers await.

But as more bodies appear, Brigid discovers that the greatest threat may not come from those who openly oppose reform.

It may come from someone who wants to control reform for their own purposes.

And that raises a question that reaches beyond the pages of fiction:

Who decides when the Church is ready for change—and who is willing to risk everything to make it happen?

Why I Wrote This Mystery

For twenty years, I have been part of the international Roman Catholic Women Priests Movement. I was ordained a priest in Pittsburgh in 2006 and a bishop in 2009.

During these years, I have witnessed extraordinary women courageously answering God's call, often in the face of criticism, rejection, and institutional opposition.

I have also discovered that the journey of reform can bring surprises, unlikely friendships, unexpected blessings, and, yes, some rather humorous situations.

Sometimes you have to laugh!

As I often say, I have a ministry of holy irritation. I believe that loving the Church means having the courage to challenge injustice and to help create something new.

That conviction inspired this novel.

Although The Vatican Invitation is fiction, its deeper themes are close to my heart: women's spiritual authority, courage in the face of opposition, the misuse of religious power, and the transforming possibilities of love, justice, and equality.

I wanted to write a story that would entertain readers while inviting them to imagine what might happen if courageous women helped uncover truths that could change the Church.

And I wanted readers to enjoy a good mystery along the way!

A Little Holy Mischief Can Go a Long Way!

One of the joys of writing this novel was creating Brigid O'Malley.

She is not a perfect heroine. She asks questions, challenges assumptions, takes risks, and occasionally finds herself in situations where a more cautious woman might have stayed home and enjoyed a nice cup of tea.

But where would the adventure be in that?

Brigid believes that faith and courage belong together. She also knows the Holy Spirit sometimes works through unexpected people, especially those overlooked or underestimated.

I have always believed that God has a sense of humor.

After all, who would have imagined that an Irish-born woman who grew up praying the rosary with her family would one day become a Roman Catholic woman priest and bishop—and then write a Vatican murder mystery?

My mother, who had mountain-moving faith, might have smiled and said, "Well, Allanah Mac Croi ( Irish for child of my heart), God certainly works in mysterious ways!"

And she would have been right.

More Than a Mystery: A Story of Hope

Beneath the suspense, secrets, and unexpected dangers, The Vatican Invitation is ultimately a story about hope.

It celebrates women who refuse to be silenced, friendships that cross boundaries, and the courage to speak the truth, even when it comes at a cost.

It also reminds us that the Church's future does not belong exclusively to those in positions of authority.

The Spirit speaks through ordinary people, courageous reformers, faithful questioners, and women who refuse to give up on their dreams.

Sometimes the most important doors open because someone finally dares to turn the handle.

And sometimes someone pulls up another chair and says, "There's room for you at this table!"

Come Along for the Adventure!

Join Brigid O'Malley on her unforgettable journey into the Vatican's heart.

You will encounter mystery, danger, unexpected allies, courageous women, and more than a little holy mischief.

I hope you will laugh, wonder, turn the pages eagerly, and perhaps imagine some new possibilities for the future of our beloved Church.

Most of all, I hope you enjoy reading this story as much as I enjoyed creating it.

The Vatican Invitation is now available on Amazon.

Order your copy of The Vatican Invitation on Amazon.

If you enjoy the book, I would be deeply grateful if you would share it with friends, recommend it to your book club, or leave an Amazon review. Your encouragement helps introduce these stories to new readers.

And who knows? Brigid O'Malley may have more mysteries waiting for her. After all, the Church holds plenty of secrets—and she has never been particularly good at minding her own business!

With love, laughter, and blessings,

Bridget Mary

Rev. Dr. Bridget Mary Meehan

sofiabmm.bmm@gmail.com

(703-505-0004)

See links to books including recent publications: The Vatican Invitation, The Impossible Circle, Healing Prayers and Blessings for Everyday Life, Creating an Inclusive Catholic Community

https://www.amazon.com/stores/author/B0GY95N7CW/allbooks?ccs_id=83ca7891-67c5-4ef5-8deb-051e4a99e703

A final thought: Never underestimate a woman with faith, courage, a good sense of humor, and a mysterious invitation to Rome!

Sometimes holy mischief is just what the Church needs.

St. Teresa of Ávila: A Woman of Courage, Holy Fire, and Reform — A Spiritual Sister to Women Priests Today October 15, 2026 — Feast of St. Teresa of Ávila By Rev. Dr. Bridget Mary Meehan, ARCWP

 

I have a feeling that if St. Teresa of Ávila were alive today, she would have quite a few things to say about the Church. And I suspect some of them would make the hierarchy very uncomfortable!

Teresa was not the sort of woman who would just sit in a corner and wait for the Holy Spirit to speak to her. She was a mystic, a reformer, a spiritual leader, a very gifted writer, and a woman with a fantastic sense of humor. She loved God with all her heart; she was a sharp critic of religious complacency, and she would by no means let any powerful man have the final say in what God could do through a woman.

In other words, she'd have been absolutely at home with a lot of the women priests I know!

On her feast day (October 15), I celebrate Teresa not just as one of the great mystics of our Catholic tradition, but as a spiritual sister to the women priests working so hard today for a Church that is more inclusive, more compassionate, and more just.

A Woman Who Refused to Give Up

Born in Ávila in 1515, Teresa entered the Carmelite Order and concluded that religious life needed renewal. She envisioned communities of simplicity, contemplative prayer, friendship, and a very personal relationship with God.

Her vision was not universally welcomed.

The religious authorities met her with suspicion, opposition, investigation, and resistance. Some saw her reforms as dangerous. Others questioned whether a woman should hold such spiritual authority at all.

Sound familiar?

Teresa was absolutely determined. She went on to found 17 reformed Carmelite convents during her lifetime and worked with St John of the Cross to reform the order.

What strikes me most is that Teresa didn't walk away from the Church because of its failings. She loved the Church so much that she was prepared to challenge it.

That's something I can totally relate to.

When I was ordained as a Roman Catholic woman priest in Pittsburgh in 2006, I knew full well that the institutional Church did not recognize that ordination. I also knew, deep down in my soul, that the Spirit was calling women into priestly ministry.

Like Teresa I think that fidelity to God can at times mean that we have to challenge the very structures which prevent the Church from living the fullness of the Gospel.

We're not leaving the Church. We're helping to renew it from within.

Teresa Knew That Women Had Spiritual Authority

Teresa lived in a society and a Church where women were expected to be obedient, submissive, and largely silent in the sphere of religious leadership.

Yet she became one of Christianity's most influential spiritual teachers.

Through her writings (The Interior Castle and The Way of Perfection) she taught countless generations of Christians how to discover the Divine Presence which is in their soul.

In 1970, Pope Paul VI declared her a Doctor of the Church, the first woman to receive this honor.

Imagine that! A woman whose spiritual authority was doubted in her lifetime is now an official teacher of the Universal Church.

And here we are over 500 years after her birth, still hearing the arguments that women cannot represent Christ sacramentally at the altar.

I wonder what Teresa would think.

I think she'd probably raise an eyebrow, smile, and remind us that the Holy Spirit has never been all that interested in human restrictions!

Of course Teresa never campaigned for the ordination of women. That wasn't her role in history. What her life does show is that women have spiritual insight, leadership, and divine authority in abundance. It's just that this has been so completely subsumed by the expectations of a patriarchal culture.

Holy Friendship and a New Way of Being Church

One of the most beautiful things about Teresa's spirituality was her notion of prayer as friendship with God.

For Teresa, prayer was not just reciting the words or doing the religious thing. It was an intimate relationship with the One who loves us.

This vision speaks very much to our inclusive Catholic communities.

At Mary Mother of Jesus Inclusive Catholic Community in Sarasota, FL, we come together at the Eucharistic table as equals. Everyone is welcome. Everyone's voice is important. Everyone has something to offer.

Our dialogue homilies invite the wisdom of the whole community. We are listening for the Spirit speaking through one another.

Teresa knew that real spiritual transformation comes about through love, friendship, prayer and community.

She also knew that reform starts in our own hearts.

We simply cannot build a compassionate Church while we are still attached to domination, exclusion and fear.

We cannot preach equality while at the same time excluding women from full participation in sacramental leadership.

We cannot claim that all are made in God's image and yet treat half the human family as spiritually unfit for the priesthood.

Women Priests and Teresa's Spirit of Reform

Today women priests are a contemporary form of Catholic reform.

I am not suggesting that Teresa secretly shared our 21st-century understanding of ordained ministry. We simply see the same Spirit in her life, who has continued to call women to leadership in the Church.

Like Teresa, women priests are creating new spaces in which faith can grow.

We are forming inclusive communities, celebrating Eucharist, accompanying the marginalized and proclaiming a Gospel of radical equality.

We're challenging clericalism by adopting a model of priesthood based on service rather than on privilege.

We're reminding the Church that baptism is the basis of our dignity and our participation in the mission of Christ. Not gender.

And like Teresa, we have found that reform takes patience, perseverance, prayer, and occasionally a sense of humor.

I frequently say that I have a ministry of holy irritation.

Teresa may have understood that ministry very well!

She also went on to irritate quite a few powerful people as she founded communities based on prayer and love.

Maybe holy irritation is what happens when the Spirit won't let us get comfortable with injustice.

A Saint Who Reminds Us to Keep Going

Teresa's famous prayer begins:

"Let nothing disturb you, let nothing frighten you."

I think those words are especially significant for women who have answered the call to the priesthood despite rejection, criticism, and exclusion.

There have been times when the going has been tough in our movement. We've had our share of misunderstandings, painful splits, and resistance.

But we have also seen incredible grace.

I've seen women answer God's call with courage and with joy. I've laid hands on women whose lives are a living expression of Christ's compassion. I've celebrated Eucharist in homes, in churches, and in all kinds of inclusive communities where people who once felt very much on the outside have found that they do, in fact, belong.

These experiences serve to remind me that the Spirit is always doing something new.

Teresa's life assures us that opposition doesn't necessarily mean you're on the wrong track. It may simply be that a new movement of grace is challenging an old structure.

Her witness also reminds us to stay in contemplation, humility, and love. Reform without love can become yet another form of domination. Reform in love, however, can transform the Church.

What would Teresa say to women priests today?

I like to picture Teresa at one of our inclusive Catholic liturgies.

She might well be surprised to see a woman leading Eucharist.

She may well have some very important questions about our theology and ecclesial structures.

Knowing Teresa, I'd expect nothing less!

But I can also imagine her listening carefully to the stories of women called to the priesthood, meeting people who have returned to the Catholic community after so many years of exclusion, and seeing the sheer joy of a Eucharistic table where everyone is welcome.

Perhaps she'd recognize something familiar in it all: women listening to God, trusting the Spirit and courageously building communities of faith and equality.

And of course perhaps after a bit of a lively discussion she'd bring us back to the point that the real issue is not who has the power but whether our lives are evidencing the love of God.

That's a question every reform movement has to keep asking.

A Prayer for the Feast of St. Teresa of Ávila

Loving God, Holy Wisdom, Divine Fire of Love,

Today we give thanks for our sister Teresa of Ávila, whose love for you was so intense that it completely transformed her life and revitalized the Church.

Thanks for your courage when others didn't believe in you, your determination when the powerful were against you, and your sheer joy when the going got tough.

May her holy fire burn brightly in the women priests and in all who work for Gospel equality.

Bless the women who hear your call to the priesthood. Give them the courage to trust the sacred voice within their hearts.

Bless our inclusive Catholic communities. May they be places of healing, friendship, justice, and joy, where everyone has a place at the table.

Bless Pope Leo XIV and all the Church leaders with open hearts and listening ears. Let them see you in the gifts and ministries of women.

Help us, like Teresa, to love the Church so much that we will work to transform it.

And when we are weary, when we are discouraged, when we are tempted to just give up and go home... remind us that your Spirit is still dancing, still surprising and still calling us on.

May we never lose our courage, our compassion, or our sense of humor!

Amen.

On St. Teresa of Avila's feast day, I want to thank God for a woman who would not let the constraints of her time keep her from hearing God's call.

Her life reminds us that the Church is not a museum where everything has to be exactly as it was. It is a living body, constantly being renewed by the Holy Spirit.

Teresa reformed the Church she loved. Women priests today are carrying on that work of renewal.

And I think Teresa would remind us that the journey of reform is not over.

The Spirit is still speaking.

Women are still answering.

And, thank goodness, the holy fire is still burning!

Happy Feast Day, St. Teresa of Ávila! Pray with us as we continue to make room for everyone at the table.

Rev. Dr. Bridget Mary Meehan, ARCWP Association of Roman Catholic Women Priests, Co-founder, People's Catholic Seminary,  Dean of the Doctor of Ministry Program at Global Ministries University,  Presider at Mary Mother of Jesus Inclusive Catholic Community, Sarasota, Florida

Discover The Impossible Circle: Encounters with Holy Women in the Bible is available on Amazon.

 

Meet the courageous women of Scripture who refused to let impossibility have the final word. Their stories of faith, laughter, resistance, and holy surprises may change how you see your own calling. https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0HJXS3N87

Who told you it was impossible?

Who told you that you were too old, too young, too ordinary, too outspoken, too wounded—or simply the wrong gender—for God to do something extraordinary through your life?

And when did you begin to believe them?

My journey with the courageous women of the Bible began many years ago, and they have become dear friends and spiritual companions along the way. In my earlier book, Praying with Women of the Bible, I invited readers to pray with these remarkable women, listen to their stories, and discover their wisdom for our daily lives. Now, in The Impossible Circle: Encounters with Holy Women in the Bible, I return to their stories with an even deeper appreciation for their courage, humor, faith, and holy boldness.

Over the years, as I followed my own call to priesthood and experienced both the joys and struggles of challenging unjust barriers in the Church, I came to recognize more of my own story in theirs. Like Sarah, I have laughed at holy surprises. Like Martha, I have questioned God. Like Mary Magdalene, I have felt called to proclaim good news even when others were not ready to hear it. And like these women, I have learned that the Holy Spirit has a wonderful way of opening doors that others insist must remain closed!

Both books grew out of my love for these extraordinary women and my conviction that their voices still speak powerfully to us today. The first invited us to pray with them. This new book invites us to pull up a chair, enter their circle, and discover that their stories are also our stories. Their courage is our inheritance, their faith is our inspiration, and their unfinished work of Gospel equality is now in our hands.

And, thank God, these women were not perfect! Neither am I—and believe me, that is no secret! Just ask anyone who knows me well. They will be happy to confirm it, probably with a few stories I would prefer they keep to themselves! But isn’t that the wonderful thing about God? Divine Love doesn’t wait for us to become perfect before calling us to do extraordinary things. Otherwise, I suspect heaven would have a very long waiting list!

Sarah laughed when God’s promise seemed ridiculous.

Hagar discovered that God saw her when everyone else had abandoned her.

Miriam danced her way into freedom.

Ruth crossed boundaries of culture and belonging for love.

Martha questioned Jesus and made a profound confession of faith.

Mary Magdalene proclaimed the Resurrection.

Phoebe served as a deacon, Junia was recognized among the apostles, and Lydia opened her home to a growing Christian community.

These were women of courage, wisdom, humor, faith, and determination.

They questioned. They argued. They grieved. They challenged expectations.

Sometimes they even challenged Jesus!

And sometimes they simply got on with doing what needed to be done while others were still discussing whether women should be allowed to do it.

I particularly appreciate those women!

Why I Wrote This Book

Their stories are also part of my own story.

In 2006, I was ordained a Roman Catholic woman priest aboard a riverboat in Pittsburgh.

According to official Church teaching and canon law, my ordination was impossible.

There was only one problem.

The Holy Spirit kept calling.

Apparently, She had not read the rulebook!

I loved my Catholic faith, the Eucharist, and the people I served. I believed that our baptism makes us equals in Christ and that the Spirit calls people to ministry without regard to gender.

Eventually, I had to choose between waiting for institutional permission and trusting the voice of God within my heart.

I said yes.

That yes opened an extraordinary journey of grace, ministry, friendship, struggle, and holy surprises.

My journey taught me what these biblical women had already discovered:

Sometimes what looks impossible from inside an institution looks very different from inside a call.

Before There Was a Hierarchy, There Was a Woman with Good News

One of my favorite moments in the Gospels is Mary Magdalene’s encounter with the Risen Christ.

Jesus entrusted her with the most astonishing news in Christian history.

She went to the disciples and announced:

“I have seen the Lord!” (John 20:18)

Before there were cathedrals, seminaries, chancery offices, or canon law books, there was a woman proclaiming Resurrection.

Jesus trusted Mary Magdalene with the message that changed the world.

Perhaps it is time for the Church to follow his example!

An Invitation to Join the Circle

In The Impossible Circle, I invite readers to meet these remarkable women as spiritual companions rather than distant figures in religious history.

Each encounter includes reflections on their lives, what they teach us today, and prayers and blessings for our own journeys.

Their stories speak to anyone who has ever been told that their dreams were unrealistic, their gifts were unwelcome, or their calling was impossible.

Sarah reminds us that we are never too old for holy surprises.

Hagar teaches us that Divine Love sees those the world overlooks.

Miriam invites us to dance in celebration of freedom.

Martha reminds us that questioning can be an expression of deep faith.

Mary Magdalene encourages us to proclaim good news even when others refuse to listen.

And Phoebe, Junia, Prisca, Lydia, and Thecla remind us that women have been leading, teaching, and building Christian communities from the beginning.

The circle also welcomes women of later centuries whose courage and spiritual wisdom continue to inspire us, including Brigid of Kildare, Hildegard of Bingen, Julian of Norwich, Dorothy Day, and Thea Bowman.

Different centuries. Different circumstances.

The same Spirit.

There Is a Place for You in This Circle

My hope is that readers will discover something of their own sacred stories in the lives of these extraordinary women.

Perhaps you have walked through Hagar’s wilderness.

Perhaps you have laughed like Sarah at an unexpected possibility.

Perhaps you have stood with Martha in grief and asked God some difficult questions.

Perhaps, like Mary Magdalene, you have experienced new life after devastating loss.

Or perhaps you are hearing a call in your heart that simply will not go away.

This book is for you.

It is also for anyone who dreams of a more inclusive Church, where every sacred calling is honored, every person’s dignity is respected, and everyone is welcome at the table.

Come In. The Women Are Waiting!

I imagine the women of The Impossible Circle gathering around a great table.

Sarah is laughing.

Miriam has brought her tambourine.

Martha is probably wondering who is going to feed everybody.

Mary Magdalene has astonishing news.

Lydia has opened the door.

And the Holy Spirit?

She is already pulling up another chair!

Come as you are.

Bring your hopes, questions, doubts, dreams, laughter, tears, and holy restlessness.

There is room for all of it.

And there is room for you.

The Impossible Circle is waiting for you! https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0HJXS3N87

I hope you will read it, share it with friends, discuss it in your faith communities or book groups, and discover the holy women who continue to inspire us.

May their stories remind us that Divine Love is never finished surprising us.

And may we always have the courage to say yes when the Spirit calls.

With love, joy, and blessings,

Rev. Dr. Bridget Mary Meehan, ARCWP
Roman Catholic Woman Priest, Author, and Co-founder of People’s Catholic Seminary

If this reflection touches your heart, please share it with someone who needs to hear that their story is not finished and that with Divine Love, new possibilities are always unfolding.