Who are we?

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We are women and men of faith who love the Church. We believe that developing true equity is essential for the health and relevance of our Church and will positively impact the hope for a more just world.
Revised Mission Statement (Revised June 2024)
Vision
We look toward a Church that returns to its earliest tradition, reflecting the egalitarian community of Jesus’s followers. Our vision is a call for justice, one that embraces full equality and inclusion.

Throughout history systems of patriarchy all over the globe have undermined women's rights and equity. As Pope Francis said, "I like to think that if women could enjoy full equality of opportunity, they could contribute substantially to the necessary change towards a world of peace, inclusion, solidarity and integral sustainability."
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Mission
​We call for women’s full equality in the Church. We will work for Church reform to guarantee that women and all Catholics feel welcome and have the opportunity to participate fully in Church life, leadership, ministry, and governance. Our strategy is to focus on education, advocacy and action.
Our Manifesto
The Roman Catholic Church has denied women full membership for most of its history.  Women are refused full sacramental privileges.  There are no female presiders in our liturgies.  Formal Church governance is exclusively male.  No women's voices influence decisions in Synods, including those focusing on marriage and family issues. Meanwhile, non-ordained males are allowed a vote.  A prime source of the Catholic Church's growing disconnect with younger members is its flagrant disregard for the dignity, rights, experience, and wisdom of  women.  Members of St. John XXIII Parish have joined together to advocate for recognizing the need for full membership for women in the Roman Catholic Church.  We realize that there may be different perspectives on what this might entail, but we are united in calling for an acknowledgment of the injustice women have faced.  We respectfully call for a full discussion of remedies and restoration. The EWC Manifesto is a statement of our vision for attaining this goal.

In Tutti Fratelli, Paragraph 23, Pope Francis said,  "Similarly, the organization of society is still far from reflecting clearly that women possess the same dignity and identical rights as men."
EWC Subcommittees
Steering Committee: Meets monthly as the leadership group, providing strategic direction. Curates monthly/bimonthly programming while also hosting regular discussion groups regarding gender equity and areas of reform within the Catholic church.

Inclusive Language: Focuses on promoting inclusive language in all aspects of our liturgical celebrations and parish communications.  In addition to being attentive to gender-inclusive language, our widening scope includes inclusive language regarding race, ability, age, ethnicity, and sexual preference

Program Planning Committee:  Engages notable theologians to further the understanding and discussion of the place of Women in the church. Discussion opportunities for continued education and faith formation have been provided at Come to the Table.  EWC programming is intended to build awareness about the inequities in the church and inspire our community to take action toward reforming exclusionary church policies.  ​
Ways to Get Involved
We invite all parishioners who have an interest in the topics below to join our efforts! We’re looking for those with the ability to work collaboratively with others and engage in civil discourse, event planning, and community outreach.
  • Gender equity 
  • Inclusion 
  • Elevating the role of the laity/lay leadership in the church
  • Institutional/Systemic change within the church 
  • Ecumenical outreach and collaboration
  • Intersectionality:  how race, class, and gender are interconnected regarding discrimination and exclusion within the church.  
  • Women's Ordination (to the diaconate and the priesthood)
Additional Resources
For More Information
Please contact us at [email protected] or reach out to one of our Steering Committee members: Mary Signatur, Barb Koop, Mary Erickson, Sally Ryan, or Mary C. Miro.

Women's Voices

Equality for Women in the Church (EWC) is very proud to share an important virtual platform of videos entitled “Women's Voices"

All lives are “multistoried” and our stories are never complete. There is always more meaning, more revelation and more grace to be received from life’s stories. In a world and church that often dismisses people's voices and concerns, sharing our stories with others is a necessary and powerful gift. But throughout time women’s voices and stories have been stifled and even erased from history. 

EWC is providing a safe, sacred place where women can share their unique and valuable life experiences and spiritual journeys. Women’s Voices is a venue where all voices are welcomed and respected. 

Equality for Women in the Church wishes to express our gratitude to those who have already shared on these videos.
Each video has a separate link and is self contained for your convenience.
Series Introduction
Karen Kanzia
Carol Michelini
Margaret Higgins
Rosalie Riegle
Sue Cooney Trnka
We invite you to share your voice and personal narrative. If you are inspired to do so, please contact any of the committee members:
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Sue Trnka, [email protected]
Karen Kanzia, [email protected]
Barbara Koop [email protected]