Catholic women plan second Portland public witness, 'One Spirit -- One Call'

Catholic women and their supporters will gather Sunday morning in downtown Portland for what organizers are calling a "prayerful public witness" in support of the leadership and talent they say is untapped within their religious tradition.

Last year, more than 600 people gathered in the South Park Blocks near the Shemanski Fountain, which was inspired by the biblical story of Rebecca at the well, for the first "One Spirit --One Call" event. Inspired by an elderly Irish woman who called for a boycott of Mass, Portland organizers encouraged women to attend services before or after the public witness. They're making the same request this year, referring women to www.masstimes.org if they need help finding an alternative Mass time.

In the year since that first gathering, almost 600 women from 54 parishes in the Archdiocese of Portland have attended sharing circles, educational meetings and a prayer service in honor of Mary Magdalene, who, according to the Bible, was the first woman Jesus called to serve the community. "One Spirit -- One Call" is focusing on education -- understanding the history of women in the church and the changes of Vatican II, the 1960s council that revised church attitudes on a number of issues. The group's mission statement says it's dedicated to "systemic reform within" the Catholic Church.

"People assume that we are about the ordination of women," says Marie Langenes, an organizer of "One Spirit -- One Call" and a member of St. Andrew's Parish in Northeast Portland. "We are about a broader range of issues.

"Women come to these events craving the experience of being together, supporting each other," she says. "These are women in the mainstream, who want to stay in the church, but want to support each other. Clearly, there is a need for such an event."

The Sunday event is from 9:30 to 11 a.m. at Southwest Park Avenue and Salmon Street.