Women In Ministry
"There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free, there is no male and female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus." Galatians 3:28 ESV Newsletter Sign-upProphet VicariateWomen in Ministry Group
Women play a vital role within the mission of the Church and the expression of that mission in the diocese of Northampton. The Church has consistently emphasised this important, distinct role in her teachings. In Pope Francis Apostolic Exhortation of 2013, ‘The Joy of the Gospel’, we read:
“The Church acknowledges the indispensable contribution which women make to society…I readily acknowledge that many women share pastoral responsibilities with priests, helping to guide people, families and groups and offering new contributions to theological reflection. But we need to create still broader opportunities for a more incisive female presence in the Church. Because “the feminine genius is needed in all expressions in the life of society, the presence of women must also be guaranteed in the workplace” and in the various other settings where important decisions are made, both in the Church and in social structures.” (paragraph 103)
The Women in Ministry Group (WMG) is active in the Northampton Diocese and welcomes the contribution of women from across the Diocese.
OUR MAIN PURPOSE
- present the voices of women in the Diocese of Northampton and the many and varied ministries they undertake.
- hope to be an advocate and support to women in the Diocese, sharing and celebrating new perspectives and developments in women’s ministry
The Women in Ministry group also organised two Diocesan Gatherings of women in Oct 2021 and 2022, and two smaller retreats for the core team. Some of them became the Women’s Working Party for the synodal journey as pilgrims of hope towards the Diocesan Assembly. We wrote a report (available below) and ran workshops. Our report is available below.
Since then, we’ve developed our Action Plan and begun to implement it.
Women of Hope event in July 2025
Actions we have achieved so far
- Developed and offered proposals for Lector and Acolyte formation to the Bishop by the end of 2023.
- Ran ‘Set the World on Fire’ retreat on the 4 Female Doctors of the Church every weekday for 8 weeks during Advent 2024 (10 participants)
- Led reflections on 40 Women: Unseen women of the Bible from Eden to Easter for 20 weekdays in Lent (over 40 email subscribers and 10 or more joining the evening prayer time over Zoom). The second half of the 40 Women was delivered in Lent 2025
- Held an open event ‘The Gathering 3’ in June 2024 with workshops to progress other areas of our Action Plan (over 20 participants)
- Held a Diocesan Women of Hope event, gathering women from across the diocese for a day of celebration and hope in July 2025
To find out more about our Smarter Action Points, click the link below.
National Board of Catholic Women
The National Board of Catholic Women brings together women from many different backgrounds. We work nationally and internationally to challenge discrimination and promote the right of women to gender justice. We actively promote the presence, participation and responsibilities of Catholic women in the Church and society. We work ecumenically with women of other faiths and secular groups. Our many member organisations, with their particular interests and networks, make an invaluable contribution to the work of NBCW.
We aim to promote the communion and participation of Catholic women in fulfilling Christ’s mission by:
- Creating a space for the diversity of women to be in communion with one another
- Equipping women to fully participate in the Churches mission through formation and information
- Ensuring the hopes and concerns of Catholic women are heard within the Church and that women are involved in decision-making and mission
Newsletter Sign-up
Sign up to hear from us and receive the women in ministry group newsletter. A regular update on news and events that might be of interest to women in the Diocese.
Who We Are
Our Contact details
Group Coordinator: Helen Burgess
helen.burgess@northamptondiocese.org
