In the second part of our series on Women in the Church, Erin and Kelley interview Linda Pieczynski. Linda is a retired lawyer who served as the President for Call to Action - a group advocating for women’s rights in the Catholic Church. Linda also served as a Board Member for Dignity USA, which advocated for LGBT rights in the Catholic Church.

In this episode, Linda shares the story and her ‘why’ behind leading the charge in the Church’s progressive movement.

Linda served as the media spokesperson for Call to Action in 2002 when the Boston Globe brought the sexual abuse scandal of the Catholic Church to the national spotlight. Linda appeared CNN’s Crossfire, Fox’s Hannity & Colmes, and others where she advocated for the rights of survivors.

Portions of this interview include mention of priests who were found guilty of sexual abuse of minors. No specific or graphic details are shared during the course of the interview.

We have a few important links you should absolutely check out after listening to this episode:

• Call to Action (https://www.cta-usa.org/) - A group championing the progressive Catholic movement by challenging Catholics to act for justice and build inclusive communities, including the ordination of women, trans, and non-binary folks.

• Dignity USA (https://www.dignityusa.org/) - A group that works for respect and justice for people of all sexual orientations, genders, and gender identities in the Catholic Church.

• SNAP (https://www.snapnetwork.org/) - The Survivors Network of those Abused by Priests is the largest support group for women and men wounded by religious and institutional authorities.

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Musical credit: "Better" Anno Domini Beats