They Call Her Pastor: A New Role for Catholic Women (Suny Series in Religion, Culture, and Society)

Ruth Wallace explains in her new book why women are now being appointed to positions of lay administration in the Catholic Church which were previously occupied solely by men. She describes the effects of the priest shortage, changing church law, and the contemporary women’s movement all of which have contributed to the trend toward Catholic parishes headed by women.

The book presents an in-depth look at the institutional and interpersonal constraints and opportunities of this new and growing phenomenon of women “pastors.” It provides a detailed sociological study of twenty priestless parishes throughout the United States, some headed by married lay women, others by nuns. A portrait of these pastors focuses on the new collaborative leadership practices by women, the restructuring of the parishes, the unique qualities of the “pastoral heart,” the support systems and constraints of this new role, and the issue of gender inequality in the Church.