The Women's Ordination Conference (WOC), established in 1975, is the oldest organization dedicated to securing women's ordination in the Roman Catholic Church and their representation in the Synod of Bishops. Importantly, WOC has never sought simply to insert women into the existing church hierarchy but works toward a “renewed priestly ministry” and more egalitarian church structure. Increasingly allied with national and international coalitions, WOC currently focuses on educating Catholic leadership and the public on the need for structural change in the church, supporting women who feel called to the priesthood and strategizing with other faith-based feminist groups.

Major Controversies

In 1975, Mary B. Lynch and about 30 others planned a small gathering in Detroit; nearly 2,000 attended, including 280 women who self-identified as having been ...

  • Loading...
locked icon

Sign in to access this content

Get a 30 day FREE TRIAL

  • Watch videos from a variety of sources bringing classroom topics to life
  • Read modern, diverse business cases
  • Explore hundreds of books and reference titles