Church on Fire Lecture continues with ‘Women in a Wounded Church’

The Parish Pastoral Council of Blessed Sacrament Church in Buffalo is pleased to announce that the previously canceled lecture by Sister Margaret Carney, OSF, “Women in a Wounded Church,” has been rescheduled for Saturday, April 30, at 1 p.m. This is the fourth lecture in the Catherine M. and Paul W. Beltz Lecture Series of the Church on Fire: Stay With Us! Program. Sr. Carney will give the lecture in Blessed Sacrament Church at 1029 Delaware Avenue, Buffalo.

Sister Margaret, president emeritus of St. Bonaventure University, will explore this very timely topic. A practical program for the advancement of women into significant leadership roles in the Church is sorely needed. But does such a program exist? Are there examples of efforts that have been successful in advancing women into new roles in Church institutions?

Today, in the wake of the sexual abuse scandals and the declining number of clergy, this work has taken on new urgency.

Sister Margaret will discuss how women are forming networks and linkages that will result in real change. She’ll also discuss where the spiritual energy and strength comes from to face what appear to be insurmountable obstacles to equality in the life of the Church we know.

Sister Margaret is a member of the Sisters of St. Francis of the Neumann Communities. Their regional center is in Williamsville, at the newly re-named Fredonia Center. A native of Pittsburgh, Sister Margaret received a bachelor’s degree from Duquesne University, a master’s degree from the Franciscan Institute, and she was the first woman to receive a doctoral degree from Franciscan University in Rome.

Sister Margaret is no stranger to leadership roles. She was the first woman to hold a chancery office in the Diocese of Pittsburgh. Over her years of ministry, she has been part of several national Catholic organizations in various leadership roles. Her board memberships include service on three different seminary boards in Western Pennsylvania. She is currently on the boards of Duquesne University and the Conference of Mercy Higher Education.

In 2016, Sister Margaret received the Pro Pontifice et Ecclesia award from Pope Francis and the Monica Hellwig Award from the Association of Catholic Colleges and Universities.

The public is invited to attend and encouraged to make reservations for this free lecture.

Reservations can be made by going online to http://www.BSCBuffalo.org/events or by calling Michael Pitek at 716-480-8313 or emailing him at Michael@thepitekgroup.com. A free-will offering is appreciated from those who attend.

Free off-street parking is available in the parking lot behind the Catholic Academy of West Buffalo, 1069 Delaware Ave. The lot can be accessed from two locations: Delaware Avenue and Lexington Avenue; and from Linwood Avenue.

The 2021-2022 series features an expanded format of lectures, concerts, events and services that will provide 10 months of programming, appealing to a variety of ages, genders, ethnicities and spiritualities.