Women's Ordination Conference

A peaceful protest just steps from St. Peter's Square turned into a clash with Roman police, as bishops and cardinals were entering the opening session of the Synod of Young People, the Faith and Vocational Discernment on Oct. 3.

The delegates at the bishops' youth synod this month will hear few, if any, women's voices during the meeting, so more than 50 advocates and scholars gathered ahead of time to launch a new book and draw attention to the need for more women in church leadership and reforms.

The "Time's Up: Catholics Demand Truth" gathering took place across the street from the Cathedral Basilica of Sts. Peter and Paul, part of a national series of such events across the U.S.

Despite Irish Catholics' many misgivings about the sexual abuse scandals in the church and the treatment of women and LGBT people, there is much enthusiasm for the ninth World Meeting of Families, scheduled to take place Aug. 21-26 in Dublin.

The first three recipients of the Lucile Murray Durkin Scholarship Fund for Women Discerning Priestly Ordination, operated through the Women's Ordination Conference, have been named.