We are part of a growing movement of Catholics who believe the Church is strongest when all people can participate fully in its life and leadership. Grounded in faith and sacramental life, we are building communities where belonging and justice flourish together.
ABOUT US
Catholic. Inclusive. Courageous.
WHO WE ARE
We Are RCWP
Roman Catholic Women Priests-USA is part of a global movement renewing Catholic sacramental ministry through inclusive leadership and Gospel-centered justice.
We are ordained servants – women, men, and nonbinary – and associates living our faith through shared leadership, radical welcome, and service. Rooted in Catholic tradition, we believe every person is created in God’s image and called to participate fully in the life of the Church – the beloved kin-dom of the people of God.
WE ENVISION A CHURCH WHERE:
All are welcomed fully.
Leadership is shared.
Sacraments are open to all.
Justice is rooted in the Gospel of Jesus.
Every person’s gifts are recognized and valued.
MEET THE ORDAINED
A Life Of Service
Behind every community is a priest who answered a call.
Our ordained members come from diverse backgrounds, professions, and experiences, yet share deep theological preparedness and a common commitment to serving God’s people through sacramental ministry, pastoral care, and Gospel justice.
Their stories are ones of vocation, courage, faith, and service.
Our mission is to prepare, support, and ordain women and people of all gender identities called by the Holy Spirit and affirmed by their communities to a renewed priestly ministry of service, compassion, and justice.
Our movement began on June 29, 2002, when seven women were ordained on the Danube River in Europe. One year later, two of those women were ordained bishops, enabling the movement to continue ordaining women in apostolic succession and supporting future generations of leaders.
Today, women priests serve communities across the United States and around the world. RCWP-USA stands in the lineage of the Danube Seven, carrying forward their legacy of faith, courage, and service.
Our Rallying Cry
RCWP was born from courage, not convenience.
It exists because women listened to a call when obedience meant exile rather than approval.
This movement was never about power.
It was about presence.
We stood where the institutional church would not stand.
We chose sacrament over silence.
We chose community over permission.
That truth does not need to be argued. It has already been lived.
Now we stand at a different threshold.
The question before us is no longer whether women can be priests.
That question has been answered in our lives and in our communities.
The question now is how we carry this truth forward without becoming the very structures we once resisted.
We are a community whose founding generation still carries much of the weight, not because we failed, but because we endured.
Endurance has brought us this far. It is a testament to faithfulness. But endurance alone is not a strategy for the future.
The future asks us to:
Make space without erasing history
Invite new voices without losing old ones
Become findable without becoming combative
Grow without replicating hierarchy
We do not need to be larger to be faithful.
But we do need to be clearer.
Our work now is not to defend who we are.
It is to steward what we have built with wisdom, humility, and care.
We move forward together,
or we do not move forward at all.
WHERE ARE YOU ON THE JOURNEY?
There Are Many Ways To Belong
Whether you are seeking community, exploring a call to ordination, or living your faith more fully in the world, there is a place for you here.
FAITH IS LIVED TOGETHER.
Seeking Community
If you are looking to join a community that is inclusive to all while celebrating Catholic sacraments, we are here to help. Learn more about our faith communities in the United States, South Africa, Colombia, and Taiwan.
A VOCATION BEGINS WITH LISTENING.
Called to Priesthood
If you are discerning a call to priesthood or ordained ministry, RCWP-USA offers a path of discernment, formation, and preparation for ordination within a supportive faith community.
JUSTICE FLOWS FROM FAITH.
Faith in Action
Our movement encompasses ordination and beyond. We speak for justice and equality within our communities, and fight for those who need to be heard.
BELONGING GROWS THROUGH COMMITMENT.
Become an Associate Member
If ordination isn’t your path but you are still interested in how to support RCWP-USA, joining our associate membership may be right for you.