Called
Women in Ministry in Ireland
by Anne Francis
Imprint: Wipf and Stock
What is it like to be a woman in ministry in Ireland? Why do they do it and what are the joys, challenges, and everyday realities of this way of life? For the first time, female pastors, chaplains, spiritual guides, priests, religious sisters, youth ministers, and many more have been asked to tell their stories. These are brought together in the words of women across the Christian denominations and from the four corners of Ireland; in the voices of anonymous participants and those who have been ministry pioneers and leaders: Dr. Ruth Patterson, Dr. Heather Morris, Sr. Margaret Kiely, Ms. Soline Humbert, and Bishop Pat Storey. The result is an account of lives and ministries that are truly extraordinary and that present both a blessing and a prophetic challenge to the churches and communities in which they serve.
Anne Francis is a practitioner in spiritual and psychological care at Marymount University Hospital and Hospice in Cork. She has worked in ministry for over thirty-five years and teaches pastoral and practical theology in Ireland and the UK. She offers pastoral supervision and theological reflection for people in Christian leadership. Francis is married with three adult children.
“There are many books on women in ministry from a theological perspective, and others show the historical perspective. Francis’s work turns the topic inside out: the reader hears from women in ministry in Ireland across a broad spectrum of experience, a range of denominations, and a variety of struggles. . . . It rang true from start to finish. I was intrigued, challenged, and encouraged.”
—Molly Deatherage, retired minister, Presbyterian Church in Ireland
“Following a comprehensive historical and theological overview in part 1, the great merit of the research in this book is seen in the witness of the interviewees, which gives such insight into the nature and role of the ministry of women in Ireland today. . . . Anne’s easy style and clear intent to highlight the women’s voices is an act of empowerment in itself.”
—Oonagh O’Brien, CEO, Mount St Anne’s Centre
“Francis offers a valuable service in Called . . . by providing us with insight into truly extraordinary women of faith. Each experienced a deep call from God and responded with generosity, courage, and resilience. At a deep level, these women can empathize with the excluded everywhere. Theirs is a special gift, empowering them to see where change is needed and enabling them to bring about this change for people on the margins.”
—Olive Flanagan, Sister of Mercy, co-founder of the Galilee Community
“This work offers much-needed inspiration from the lived experience of those whose ministry has been located in and focused on the margins. These stories of resilient leadership and faithful service for too long have gone unheard, and the lessons they offer unheeded. This research offers a rich resource for the church in uncertain times.”
—Nicola Brady, general secretary, Churches Together in Britain and Ireland
“Anne Francis’s book is by turns poignant, sensitive, humorous, and challenging. Her analysis brings penetrating insight into the underlying issues facing those who seek to be faithful to their calling while navigating theology, tradition, and power alongside the practical realities of relationships, family life, and economics. The result is a work that is both painful and inspiring to read.”
—Ruth Garvey-Williams, editor, VOX Magazine
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