WOC's prelate, Fitzpatrick, on steady march to ordination - Women's Ordination Conference national coordinator Ruth McDonough Fitzpatrick - Cover Story - Interview

National Catholic Reporter, June 17, 1994 by Arthur Jones

In 1972, John, daughter Kelly and Ruth were all in school at the same time. At Georgetown University, Ruth's adviser, Monica Hellwig, turned Fitzpatrick's attitudes upside down by leading her into liberation theology studies.

In the years ahead, after being impressed by Brazilian base communities; after a Central America-Caribbean tour that included Cuba; after joining the battle against Reagan-era Central American policies; after becoming one with a nationwide community of Catholic women -- a community sometimes disputatious, but always willing to work through those disputes -- Fitzpatrick has emerged as she's seen today. Confident. Caring. Militant. And usually laughing.

She is a woman good friends find fun to be with. She calls on many of them for the strength to keep going. She's a woman many bishops trust, a woman who introduced some of those bishops to the issue.

How has she been able to reach the bishops?

Says Quixote Center's Callahan, "Washington is a political city where schmoozing is an art. Ruth knows how to schmooze."

Says WOC colleague Loretto Sr. Maureen Fiedler, "Ruth was brought up as a nice polite Catholic girl, she has the social graces."

What do the bishops think? They're not allowed to comment. Fitzpatrick thinks they realize the time to ordain women is here, though few of them can face it.

Meantime, Fitzpatrick, soldiers on. As those closest to WOC will admit, without her, there'd probably be no Women's Ordination Conference today.