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20 years since 1st WOW International conference in Dublin

Colm Holmes • 30 June 2021

Standing up to Vatican threats

WOMEN’S ORDINATION WORLDWIDE

1st INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE

29.June – 1.July 2001

Twenty years ago the 1st WOW International Conference was held in Dublin, Ireland. Organised by Brothers And Sisters In Christ (BASIC - now part of WAC Ireland) it was titled: "A Celebration of Women’s Call to a Renewed Priesthood in the Catholic Church"

The conference attracted a lot of international attention because the Vatican attempted to block 3 of the speakers from attending the event:

1. Sr. Joan Chittister from the Benedictine Sisters of Erie

2. Sr. Myra Poole from the Notre Dame de Namur Sisters

3. Aruna Gnanadason from the World Council of Churches

Sr. Joan with the support of her prioress Sr. Christine Vladimiroff and her congregation explained why she would not follow the Vatican's instructions. As scheduled, Sr. Joan gave a feisty address to the WOW conference.

Sr. Myra also defied the Vatican's instructions and took part in the WOW conference in Dublin.

Aruna did not travel to Dublin, but supplied her full paper to the conference and was replaced by the wonderful Rev. Rose Hudson Wilkin, who today is a Bishop in the Church of England.

The conference was attended by 345 delegates from 27 countries.

The speakers included:

Kornélia Buday Hungary

Sr. Joan Chittister. USA

Dr. Brigitte Enzner-Probst Germany

Dr. Mary Grey UK

Naoko Iyori Japan

Apollonia Lugemna Uganda

Máiréad Corrigan Maguire . Northern Ireland

Velisiwe Mary Mkhwanazi South Africa

Yury Pueblo Orozco Brazil

Sr. Myra Poole . UK