Pope Leo, Will You Listen and Join the Song? by Bridget Mary Meehan ARCWP

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I resonate deeply with Sister Vicky Larson’s beautiful image of religious life as music—“Many Charisms, One Spirit, One Call.” Her invitation to deep, contemplative, Spirit-led listening speaks to what I believe the Holy One is asking of the entire Church in this moment of profound transformation.

https://www.lcwr.org/files/speaker/pdf/presidential_address_-_vicky_larson_pbvm.pdf

Sister Vicky observes that genuine harmony is not achieved by everyone singing the identical note, but rather by recognizing, respecting, and uniting a variety of voices. Even discord has a meaningful role by challenging us, expanding our viewpoints, and uncovering possibilities we might otherwise miss. This musical metaphor raises an important question: Which voices are currently missing from the Church's symphony?

Throughout history, Catholic women religious have been strong champions for peace, justice, human dignity, environmental protection, and marginalized communities. Their work has included aiding immigrants and refugees, educating youth, caring for the ill and dying, combating poverty and racism, and courageously supporting those alienated by both society and the church.

Trailblazers such as Catherine McAuley, Frances Xavier Cabrini, Nano Nagle, and Mother Teresa of Calcutta leave a lasting legacy on worldwide initiatives of compassion and service.

Frequently, women religious have embraced the guidance of the Spirit well before the official church hierarchy was ready to hear it. Nevertheless, women remain barred from ordained positions and are still denied complete equality within the administrative and sacramental functions of the Roman Catholic Church.

If we truly believe that the Spirit speaks through a variety of gifts and vocations, we must listen when women express a calling to become priests and bishops. For decades, many women have already been faithfully responding to these callings by guiding and leading inclusive communities.

Although this idea might sound discordant to some, Sister Vicky aptly points out that we should not be afraid of dissonance. Often, it is the exact component required to lead a musical composition toward a fresh, surprising, and beautiful conclusion. Historically within religious life, women driven by their faith in the Holy Spirit have continually urged the Church to strive for deeper justice. It is clear that we are living through a similarly crucial period today.

Authentic synodality requires interacting with a wide range of viewpoints rather than just those that confirm current convictions. It demands listening to those who challenge traditional norms and expose institutional disparities. These important voices belong to women pursuing ordination, LGBTQ+ Catholics, survivors of abuse, people harmed by clericalism, young adults stepping away from organized religion, and communities promoting a more inclusive Catholic faith.

The presence of the Holy Spirit reaches far beyond canon law, ecclesiastical frameworks, and theological or demographic boundaries, often manifesting through the very individuals whom the establishment has traditionally ignored. The Leadership Conference of Women Religious (LCWR), alongside past generations of committed women, provides clear evidence that structural change is not merely a future possibility, but a present reality.

A forward-looking vision for the Church is currently taking shape within welcoming communities where people of all genders, including women, are pursuing ordained ministry. This is clearly demonstrated by the Roman Catholic Women Priests movement, which champions equality by making positions such as deacon, priest, and bishop accessible to all baptized individuals.If the Church is to genuinely engage in synodal listening, it must also take these viewpoints into account.

The primary issue is no longer whether women are being called to ministry, as many have already recognized this calling and are actively serving in such roles. The outstanding question is whether the institutional Church will ultimately recognize and accept this reality. Consequently, the question posed to Pope Leo is whether he is ready to enter into a respectful conversation with the members of our movement and our inclusive communities.

Footnotes

1. Leadership Conference of Women Religious, "2026 LCWR 70th Anniversary Event," Orlando, Florida, August 11–14, 2026; Vicky Larson, PBVM, presidential address, "Harmony for a New Era: Listening to Many Charisms, One Spirit, One Call," August 12, 2026.

2. John Paul II, Ordinatio Sacerdotalis: Apostolic Letter on Reserving Priestly Ordination to Men Alone, May 22, 1994, no. 4.

3. Roman Catholic Women Priests, "History of the International Roman Catholic Womenpriest Movement." This source chronicles the genesis of the movement, beginning with the ordination of seven women on the Danube River in 2002, and the continued growth of its ordained ministries.

4. Association of Roman Catholic Women Priests, "About Us." This section describes the ARCWP as a reform movement committed to attaining full equality within the Church and advocating for an inclusive model of priestly ministry.

   5. Catherine McAuley (1778–1841). The Irish founder of the Sisters of Mercy, established in Dublin in 1831. Her efforts centered on the education and care of disadvantaged women and children, inspiring a worldwide legacy of compassionate service.

   6. Frances Xavier Cabrini (1850–1917). Born in Italy, she established the Missionary Sisters of the Sacred Heart of Jesus. She developed schools, hospitals, and charitable institutions to support immigrants, especially Italians living in the United States. In 1946, she achieved the milestone of becoming the first American citizen to be canonized as a saint. 

   7. Nano Nagle (1718–1784). The Irish creator of the Presentation Sisters (formally known as the Sisters of the Presentation of the Blessed Virgin Mary). Defying the Penal Laws that prohibited Catholic education, she established schools for underprivileged children in Cork, becoming a pioneer in both religious life and education in Ireland.

    8. Teresa of Calcutta (Mother Teresa) (1910–1997). She founded the Missionaries of Charity in 1950, dedicating her life to serving those experiencing extreme poverty, illness, abandonment, and homelessness. Her humanitarian efforts earned her the Nobel Peace Prize in 1979, and she was canonized by Pope Francis in 2016.

   OpenAI, ChatGPT, assistance in drafting and editing document, 2026.

Day Three Retreat: A Prayer for Healing and Strength

Kylemore Abbey

Heart of Infinite Love,

Today, I remember everyone who has requested my prayers. 

You know them all by name, understanding the heavy burdens they bear, the suffering they face, their unspoken fears, and their deepest hopes.

May your comforting presence be with them right now.

Bring healing and strength to those who are sick.

Grant wisdom to anyone waiting for medical test results, making tough choices, or going through major life changes.

Comfort those who are mourning and lonely.

Uplift the anxious, discouraged, and overwhelmed with your affirming presence, giving  them deep peace.

Open unexpected pathways of hope for anyone dealing with relationship issues, family conflicts, financial worries, or an uncertain future.

Holy One, guide the medical professionals, caregivers, family, friends, and communities supporting those in need of care. Let their hands heal, their words uplift, and their actions reflect your healing love.

I bless every person who has reached out to me, doing so in the name of the Divine Presence that lives within us, loves through us, and walks with us through all of life's highs and lows.

May all of you realize that you are enveloped in an unimaginable divine love, and held tenderly in the Heart of God now and forever.

Amen.

— Bridget Mary Meehan

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Healing Happens in the Embrace of Divine Love by Bridget Mary Meehan ARCWP

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No matter what wound you carry—grief, anxiety, loss, broken relationships, illness, disappointment, spiritual dryness, or uncertainty—you are held in a healing Presence that is already at work within you.

When life hurts, we often search for answers. Healing Prayers and Blessings for Everyday life offers something deeper: healing prayers, reflections, and blessings that help you rest in the embrace of Divine Love and discover hope, strength, and peace one day at a time.

Every wound can become a doorway to grace.
Through heartfelt prayers and uplifting blessings, this book invites readers to experience the healing power of Divine Love in everyday life.

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0H5FNP9R1?lv=shuf&channelId=500&plpRedirect=mhFallback

Day Two Retreat: I Came to Kylemore Abbey: Mist, Mountains, and Unexpected Crowds Became My Prayer

I came to Kylemore Abbey expecting silence.

In my imagination, this part of my pilgrimage would be a quiet retreat—a few peaceful days walking the beautiful grounds of Kylemore, praying with the Benedictine sisters, gazing at the mountains and lake, and listening for the gentle whisper of the Holy One in the stillness.

Well, the Holy One apparently had another plan!

Today, hundreds of visitors are walking the grounds, touring the Abbey, visiting the beautiful Victorian Walled Garden, stopping for photographs, talking with friends and family, and taking in the breathtaking beauty of Connemara.

So much for what I had imagined as a quiet retreat. Yet here at Kylemore, as I walk beside the lake and look toward the cloud-covered mountains rising behind the Abbey, I begin to realize that perhaps this is exactly the retreat I needed in the embrace of such vibrant life.

The presence of hundreds of visitors from around the world, moving through this place on a rainy day, and the haunting beauty of ancient chants sung by the Benedictine nuns in the monastery chapel, all weave together into my prayer. Everything here seems to belong-in the midst of life unfolding all around me, inviting me to recognize God in every step, every breath, and every encounter.

There is something powerful about knowing that women here have created a community of prayer in this place and continue the ancient Benedictine rhythm of prayer, work, hospitality and community.

Their presence reminds me that spirituality is not only about extraordinary mystical experiences. Much of the spiritual journey consists of showing up faithfully each day—praying, working, welcoming, listening and caring. The Benedictine motto is pray and work.

Yesterday, as I listened to the sisters chanting Evening Prayer in Latin I could not understand most of the words. Eventually I stopped trying and simply listened. Today, they prayed and sang at Noon in English.

Perhaps that, too, was a lesson.

We do not always have to understand Mystery.

Sometimes we simply allow Mystery to embrace us.

So today  brought another revelation.

The Holy One was not only present in the mountains, lake and Benedictine sisters.

The Holy One was walking around Kylemore with hundreds of tourists!

As I watched families, groups , and people moving in every direction around me, they were not people interrupting my retreat.

They were part of my retreat.

The Holy One was present in the elderly couple walking slowly together, in parents exploring the grounds with their children, in strangers taking photographs for one another, in visitors standing silently before the beauty of the lake and mountains.

Perhaps they, too, were being touched by something they could not quite name. 

Beauty has a way of opening the soul.

They walk in the gentle Irish mist alone and in small groups.They take into the magnificent landscape.They are on holy ground. And their walk itself -like mine- is a Camino- a sacred journey.

I used to think that pilgrimage meant traveling to sacred places.

 Increasingly, I am discovering that pilgrimage means learning to recognize the sacred wherever I am and with whomever  I meet on the journey. Life itself - everyday- is a pilgrimage where we can awaken to the Holy One present in the unexpected twists and turns we encounter.

I know that I do not have to search very far for the Divine Presence.

I simply have to open my eyes, open my heart, and keep walking, trusting that the Holy One is always speaking - sometimes in the most surprising circumstances and in a gathering of people I don’t know! But the message is always the same: “I love you and I love all of them!”

For more information on history of Kylemore Abbey, check this link: https://www.kylemoreabbey.com/?utm_source=mybusiness&utm_medium=organic

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Day One at Kylemore Abbey: When You Don’t Understand the Words, Listen with Your Heart

On a misty evening in Connemara, I began my retreat at Kylemore Abbey with Evening Prayer in the chapel. Outside, the mountains were wrapped in clouds and the lake lay still beneath the gray Irish sky. A deep quiet seemed to embrace the abbey, inviting me to slow down, breathe deeply, and simply be present.

As the Benedictine sisters began chanting the evening prayers in Latin, I tried at first to follow along. But since my Latin is almost nonexistent, that effort did not last very long! So I closed my eyes, stopped trying to understand every word, and simply listened.

And perhaps that was the first grace of my retreat. Listen.

The sisters’ voices rose and fell in the ancient rhythms of chant, drawing me into a stream of prayer much older than the twelve of us gathered in that chapel. For centuries, Benedictine women and men have paused throughout the day to pray, following a monastic way of life shaped in the sixth century by Benedict of Nursia and embraced by his sister Scholastica and generations of Benedictine women and men who followed.

Sitting there, I realized that sometimes we do not need to understand the words to receive their meaning.

Prayer is more than words. Prayer is presence. It is listening. It is opening ourselves to the Sacred Mystery already within us, around us, and flowing through all creation.

With my eyes closed, I became aware that the sisters were not praying alone. Their chant carried echoes of countless generations who had sung these same psalms before them. I felt connected with mystics and pilgrims, seekers and saints, and ordinary people in the communion of saints through the ages who have longed, as we all do, to know that they are loved and held by a Presence greater than themselves.

I thought, too, of the many ways people pray throughout our world. Some pray the rosary. Some chant psalms. Some sing gospel songs. Some sit in silence. Some dance. Some weep. Some walk through forests, along the sea, or beneath a starlit sky. And sometimes our entire prayer is simply one word which I often use: “Help.”

The Sacred Mystery at the heart of all life understands them all.

As I listened to the sisters chanting, I felt deep gratitude for this sacred pause in my journey. I had arrived at Kylemore  as a pilgrim carrying memories, hopes, dreams and the weariness that comes with weeks of wonderful but tiring - packing and unpacking -travel. Slowly, I sensed that I simply needed to be here. No agenda!

Perhaps this was the first invitation of my retreat at Kylemore Abbey:to slow down the pace, listen with my heart, enter the silence, and rest in the infinite Love in whom we live and move and have our being.

Footnote:
The Rule of St. Benedict (6th century) was written by Benedict of Nursia and became the foundational text for Western monastic life. His twin sister, Scholastica, is traditionally regarded as the first Benedictine nun and is honored within the Benedictine tradition for her deep spiritual companionship with Benedict and her own contemplative witness.

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A Walkabout Galway—and Another Serendipity: My First Hen Party!

 

Yesterday I set out to wander the streets of Galway. Being in Ireland, I came prepared for rain with jacket on. Thick clouds lingered overhead all day, threatening to open at any moment. But, not a drop fell. In Ireland, there’s often several showers with intermittent sunny spells each day. Yet this summer has been different—unusually dry, unusually warm, as if even the skies had decided to be unusually kind.

Across from where I was staying on Eyre Square, there were colorful tents filled with crafts, paintings, custom jewelry, and—most dangerously for me—desserts. I stopped at several stalls and enjoyed conversations with local artisans before finding a few small treasures for my already bulging bags. Then, I spotted the biscotti cheesecake.

And I was hungry after the two hour train trip and besides there was no soft- serve ice cream in sight so of course , i felt obliged to try a slice. It was delicious. I reassured myself that I would likely walk several miles that day, and that the calories would simply disappear somewhere along the streets of Galway.

That evening, my fitness app informed me I had walked 5.4 miles. So no worries about weight gain!

Whether 5.4 miles fully cancels out biscotti cheesecake remains a question for future research which I probably will not do.

Music was everywhere in Galway, spilling out of doorways, and drifting through alleyways as well. I love Irish music, and as I wandered through the pedestrian streets, I kept stopping to listen, drawn in again and again. Two musicians were playing a lively jig or reel, their fiddles and bodhráns setting the air itself in motion, and suddenly the entire street seemed like a celebration you’ve accidentally been invited to—full of energy, warmth, and an irresistible, joyful pulse.

Later that evening, I passed several restaurants and pubs and found myself at An Púcán. The sight of it brought back fond memories. I had visited years ago with my Dad, and later returned with my brother Sean and my sister-in-law Nancy. Walking in felt like stepping into these happy moments.

A band was playing sixties and seventies music—my era—so my feet were already tapping.

Nearby, a bride-to-be and her friends were celebrating a hen party. The bandleader invited them onto the dance floor, and up they went.

I was sitting quietly nearby, still waiting to order, when one of the women looked over, beckoned, and invited me to join them.

Before I could think twice, I was on the dance floor.

There I was—a wandering “pilgrim”in Galway who had started the day in search of crafts, music, and perhaps a little cheesecake—now dancing with a bride-to-be and her friends at my first Irish hen party.

As we danced, I learned the wedding will be in October, and one of the women mentioned she had visited Florida. Small world indeed.

And what a delightful serendipity.

It struck me afterward that pilgrimage is not just about sacred sites, ancient churches, quiet prayer, or deep reflection. Sometimes the sacred  journey includes a delicious slice of biscotti cheesecake, street musicians playing an Irish reel, a pub filled with family memories, or a stranger inviting you onto the dance floor.

Perhaps the Divine Presence does not only whisper, “Be still and know.”

Sometimes She says, “Get up and dance!”

So here is another lesson from my Irish pilgrimage:

Be open to the unexpected invitations that bring you joy.

We can become so focused on where we are going that we miss the grace unfolding right beside us in the most unexpected places. Serendipity invites us to loosen our grip on the itinerary and allow ourselves to be surprised by the people we meet along the way.

Joy often arrives without an appointment.

And sometimes the Spirit doesn’t wait for you to be ready—or even to finish ordering your drink.

She simply reaches out through a stranger and says:

“Come join the dance!”

And when that happens, my advice is simple:

Get up and dance.

The Spirit is alive—and She loves to dance with us!

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