Raising Awareness of Biblical Women Leaders

At over 250 international celebrations of the July 22 Feast of St. Mary of Magdala, special prayer services brought to visibility biblical women leaders whose stories have been omitted or downgraded in lectionary texts.

At these celebrations, thousands of Catholics organized to ask the Vatican and US and Canadian Bishops to restore women leaders such as Mary of Magdala and Phoebe the deacon to lectionary texts from which they have been deleted, and to invite female biblical scholars to the International Synod on the Word to be held in Rome October 5-26 at the request of Pope Benedict XVI.

“Unfortunately, for centuries, Mary of Magdala’s leadership and that of many other biblical women, has been minimized or excised from the official lectionary used in both Catholic and Protestant churches,” said Sr. Christine Schenk, FutureChurch Executive Director. “For example, even though all four gospels name Mary of Magdala as the first witness to the Resurrection, Jesus’ commission asking her to proclaim it to the male disciples is never read on Sunday, yet we hear about doubting Thomas every single year.”

FutureChurch board member Barbara Litrell added: “Phoebe, an important leader and deacon at the Church of Cenchrae, is completely excised from the lectionary text of Paul’s letter to the Romans, as are Lois and Eunice from the letter to Timothy. We want Church officials to correct that.”

Spearheaded by the Cleveland-based FutureChurch, Catholics are also asking synod leaders to devote more pastoral attention to Jesus and St. Paul’s inclusive practice and expand preaching opportunities for qualified women.

For more information on the celebrations of the Feast of St. Mary of Magdala please go to http://ncronline3.org/drupal/?q=node/1470