Bridget Mary Meehan Presentation at Episcopal Retreat Center and Parliament of World Religions: "Reclaiming the Feminine Divine"

The Association of Roman Catholic Women Priests is reclaiming the Divine Feminine in a renewed priestly ministry in an inclusive community of equals in the Roman Catholic Church. 

We are leading our church as Woman Spirit rising in prophetic witness for gender equality.

As women and men called to equality and mutuality and a sacred connectedness with creation, we re-imagine our divine beginning and the experience of women as vibrant reflections of Divine Presence and faithful disciples who have always been there. 

Our preparation program treats women as the important theologians they are, affirms their experiences of faith and guidance, without which generations of Catholic would not have flourished. As theologian Mary Malone writes women "have always done theology and ministry in both word and deed."  (See Mary Malone, The Elephant in the Church, p. 171) This fosters a more balanced, integrated approach to spirituality and ministry which is the vision of our  People's Catholic Seminary. 

Contemporary theologians remind us that divine love is at the heart of the evolutionary process and that this love is in a constant birthing process in which all people and creation are evolving into a deeper consciousness of unity, wholeness and being in love. 

One of my favorite feminine images is God as Midwife of Grace in Psalm 22:9-10.  We pray: “You drew me out of the womb, you entrusted me to my mother’s breasts, placed me on your lap from my birth. From my mother’s womb, you have been my God.”

As midwives of grace we, in the international women priests movement, are drawing forth a new creation as we labor to transform a patriarchal, dominator model of church into a companionship of empowerment in inclusive communities where all are equal and all are welcome.  

As midwives of grace we break open the Word from women’s experiences and preside at sacraments celebrating the embodiment of the feminine in everyday life.  We utilize inclusive language and feminine imagery of God in our liturgies.

As midwives of grace, we contemplate She Who Is , always with us and forever going before us, inspiring us, working through us as we challenge our hierarchy to make the connections between discrimination in the church and poverty, abuse and violence toward women in the world .

We are passionate, faithful and courageous. 
We are Women Spirit Rising up for Justice! 

(Slideshow), www.arcwp.org, www.bridgetmarysblogspot.com
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aTmdxHXWlFY


Discussion and Sacred Ritual