This is Father Anne’s second visit to the Your Radical Truth Podcast Show. Digging deeper into what it means to be a woman in a leadership role in the Catholic Church, host Margaret Mary O’Connor and Father Anne discuss the history of the Church like you’ve never heard it before.
A question Father Anne receives frequently is, “Why did you choose ‘Father’ as your title?”
She chose the title for a few reasons. First, in the Roman Catholic Church, this is a conduit of a symbol heavily relied upon of God’s action in and through the symbolism.
Father Anne is fully aware that she is stretching the symbol to include the body of a woman, and this is a way to expand the Catholic imagination.
Taking on the same commitments as her male counterparts, such as celibacy, prayers of the Roman Missal and the traditional language of the church, Father Anne is one of 260 ordained Roman Catholic Priests around the world.
Father Anne is fully aware that many Catholics are not on board with women being ordained. And yet, this is part of her ministry… raising awareness.
Both Margaret Mary O’Connor and Father Anne feel the need to raise this awareness about changing times.
According to both, Catholics are unprepared for the normal growth that must take place if we are in relationship with a living God.
Episode Highlights
[03:30] Stretching the symbol of the priest
[07:15] A right to one’s position and point of view
[11:20] Why Jesus is called the High Priest
[17:00] Church tradition has changed, yet…
[23:00] Ongoing problems with priests being assigned a parish
[26:35] Women are NEVER safe in a patriarchy
[32:30] Women’s ordination is on the table
[34:00] Final thoughts
About Father Anne
Father Anne was ordained on October 16, 2021, in Albuquerque, New Mexico through the Association of Roman Catholic Women Priests and is now an independent Roman Catholic priest.
She has a deep love of the Society of Jesus and Ignatian spirituality, which blossomed over twelve years of ministering with Jesuits.
Father Anne earned a Master of Divinity from Jesuit School of Theology in Berkeley, California, and has worked in several Jesuit parishes.
In addition to her formation in the Catholic Church, Father Anne has a Master’s degree in Rhetoric and Writing Studies from San Diego State University and 25 years of experience in strategic communications.
Deeply grounded in the Spiritual Exercises of St. Ignatius, Father Anne has a passionate interest in the discernment of what the next era of the Church will look like.
While many have understandably walked away from the Roman Catholic Church, Father Anne obeys the call of the Holy Spirit to collaborate with God on the project of equality in one of the most powerful institutions in the world.
About Margaret Mary O’Connor
Margaret Mary O’Connor, as a member of the Catholic Laity, thought she knew everything about the Catholic Church, at least until she came upon a centuries-old Scandal of lies and cover-up by the Hierarchy of that Church. Frankly, she was fed up being lied to by her own Church, about its own past Church’s History on Women priests. With that realization, she truly felt in that moment, the monumental feeling of betrayal by her own Church.
Follow Margaret, as she travels down this Highway of Radical Truth where lies and outright coverup will be disclosed. Millions of Catholics are unaware of that past presence of Women Bishop’s, Women Deacons, as well as Women Priests, all there hiding in plain sight, in Early Church History.
As the complicity of this centuries-old Scandal continues, Margaret wants her fellow Catholics to learn the actual truth of this matter for themselves. She strongly believes, at minimal, any Catholic deserves the actual truth of this matter. To say that change is needed is hardly an understatement. She doesn’t let the Church’s betrayal stop her from uncovering some very fascinating Church Skeleton’s – one which very well might help solve our current priest shortage issue today.
Margaret Mary O’Connor has been called, “The Modern Day David” on many occasions. On a mission to reveal carefully guarded secrets of the Catholic Church, she unveils the truth through her well-researched writings.
Author of Scandal in the Shadows and Journey of a Celiac’s Soul, Margaret Mary is a force to be reckoned with.
Follow Margaret Mary on the following social media platforms.
Twitter: @yrradicaltruth
LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/yourradicaltruth/
