Kathleen’s presentation entitled “What Can 8 Former Catholic Nuns Over the Age of 70 Tell 21st Century Audiences About Women, Power, and Authority” identified the ways that the former nuns challenged the sanctioned authority of the Catholic Church and how these acts of questioning transformed their personal and communal relationships to authority, power, and obedience.

Kathleen noted in her presentation the value of contemporary women looking back and reinvestigating moments in the past when women challenged the cultural, legal, political, and social contexts that succeeded in perpetuating gender inequality.

Through a passionate rethinking of history rather than a passive memorizing of historical facts frozen in time, Kathleen believes past resistances to gender oppression can serve as viable conduits to open better futures for women.