Roman Catholic Womenpriests: Report from Janice Sevre-Duszynska on 53rd session of the Commission on the Status of Women

Janice Sevre-Duszynska presiding at liturgy at
Dorothy Day House in Washington DC

What a place to be, here in New York at the UN for the 53rd session of the Commission on the Status of Women!

With 5,000 registered NGO participants, mainly women from all over the world, I have met women from Iraq, the Democratic Republic of Congo, Nigeria, Ethiopia, Bangladesh, Argentina, and many other places. I have attended talks on HIV/AIDS; how it is spread, how to prevent it, and the care-giving involved. I have also learned much about disarmament, gun control, human trafficking, engaging men in sharing responsibility, religions and sexual reproductive rights, and about violence towards women. I will have much to share with you all....

Dorothy Irvin and I are staying with Anglican sisters at their Community of the Holy Spirit (on West 113th Street, just up a hill from the Hudson River). Every morning we take an hour-long bus ride to the UN. There we attend discussions of the 45 member states, and we also spend much time across the street at the Parallel Events in the Church Center. This is where organizations meet to give talks on their specialty issues.

I am still awaiting word on whether I will be able to give my 3-minute oral statement. After hearing the talks it is quite apparent that patriarchal religion is a root cause of violence in our world.

This afternoon Dorothy will be giving a talk to Gabriella's community on Staten Island. I must leave now.

Peace,
Janice=