Loading...
Loading...
Click here if you don’t see subscription options
PreachOctober 21, 2024
(Photo: Unsplash)

Dr. Moira Egan does not relate to Bartimaeus, a blind man who encounters Jesus in Mk 10:46-52 and begs for sight. Moira was born blind, but she has never begged for sight. Why should blindness exempt her from the Kingdom of God? “There’s an assumption that, if any blind person were asked the open-ended question, ‘What do you want?’, [ . . . ] they would say they want to see,” Moira says. “I think it’s hard for people to believe that isn’t true.” 

In a conversation inspired by Pope Francis and his invitation to building a “culture of encounter,” Ricardo da Silva, S.J., welcomes Moira to “Preach” to reflect upon the difficulty of certain scripture passages, how to avoid ableist language, and consider the experiences of people with disabilities. 

Moira serves as the director of prestigious awards and graduate fellowships at Pace University in New York City. She also is an active parishioner at The Church of St. Francis Xavier, where she is involved with Ability Xavier. This program not only advocates for justice and understanding for persons with disabilities, but bridges the accessibility gap by providing tangible worship accommodations such as Braille worship aids, auditory assistive headsets for persons with hearing loss, and American Sign Language interpreters.

[Learn more about disability theology—email Gregory Woods to join a private Facebook discussion group.]


Scripture Readings for the 30th Sunday in Ordinary Time, Year B


First Reading: Jer 31:7-9
Responsorial Psalm: Ps 126:1-2, 2-3, 4-5, 6
Second Reading: Heb 5:1-6
Gospel: Mk 10:46-52

You can find the full text of the readings here.

The latest from america

A leading figure in academic Catholic feminism after the Second Vatican Council, Anne E. Carr was also a renowned scholar and an inspiration to generations of theologians.
James T. KeaneJuly 01, 2025
At the time of his appointment as prefect of the Dicastery for Bishops in 2023, then-Cardinal Robert Prevost described in an interview one change he would like to see in the bishop selection process: greater involvement of lay people.
Colleen DulleJuly 01, 2025
Bishops from the conferences of Africa, Asia, and Latin America produced a joint document calling for climate justice ahead of the U.N. climate conference in November.
“One of the things I find most appealing about the award-winning writer and poet Mary Karr is her forthright, almost brutal, honesty.”
James Martin, S.J.July 01, 2025