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.