Begin a Dialogue & Take Action

Most Catholics, including Catholic bishops and priests, do not realize that many important stories of our foremothers in faith are excluded from our lectionary. For instance, the full story of Mary Magdalene’s Easter proclamation of the Risen Christ is NEVER heard on Easter Sunday (John 20: 1 – 18). Thus, Catholics are deprived of learning about the gifts, grace, courage, and ministry of women such as Mary Magdalene whose memorial was raised to a feast day in 2016 and is officially known as the “Apostle of the Apostles.” Others left out completely, or left out from our Sunday readings include Phoebe the diakonos, Junia, Prisca, Shiprah, Puah and many more First and Second Testament women.

As we head towards the 2024 Synod, help share the Good News that women have been integral to shaping our Christian tradition and their inspirational stories should be included in our lectionary!

Begin a Dialogue

Talk to your priest, bishop, liturgical ministers, and other Catholics about the lectionary — what we learn and what is left out.

Questions like these offer a chance to share stories that are personal, meaningful, and heartfelt.

What is your experience of the Lectionary?
How has it strengthened your faith?
Where has it caused doubts/concerns?
What are your hopes for the Lectionary?

Write a letter to a synod participant, your bishop, the U.S. bishops on the Committee for Divine Worship, and Prefect Arthur Roche at the Dicastery for Divine Worship in Rome

In 2008 at the Synod on the Word, in conversation with synod members, FutureChurch learned that most bishops are unaware of the fact that the stories of our many of our foremothers in faith are excluded from the lectionary. That is also true for priests and lay Catholics for the most part. Now is the time to engage with them to raise awareness and begin new avenues for dialogue.

Below are resources you can use to raise awareness and to create an opening for dialogue, exchange, and an expansion of the lectionary.

Sample letter to synod participants explaining project

Mary Magdalene Goes to the Synod: Expanding the Lectionary to Include More Stories of Biblical Women educational packet.

Academic Resources

Sample follow up letter to synod participants

Sample Letter to the Editor

Sample Op Ed

Sample Bulletin Insert

To find the addresses you need write to Emerita@futurechurch.org

Sign Our Open Letter & Ask Others To Sign

FutureChurch’s open letter will be sent to synod delegates, U.S. bishops, the U.S. Bishops’ Committee on Divine Worship, Prefect Arthur Roche at the Dicastery (Office) for Divine Worship, and others.

If you have not already done so, please read and sign the open letter and share it with your circles in order to raise awareness about the “women gaps” in our lectionary and urge officials to take measures to expand the lectionary to include more stories of biblical women, our foremothers in faith.

Sign the Open Letter

Print the Letter and Signature Page

Resources