Gabriella Velardi Ward, BFA, AAS, B.Arch, M.Theo candidate – Gabriella has wanted to be a Roman Catholic Priest since the age of five. The institutional church’s rejection, based on gender, has led her to work in a number of non-traditional fields for women. She is currently working as an architect. She has over twelve years of parish ministry including adult religious education, spiritual direction, organizing and leading retreats and teaching meditation and contemplative prayer. Her call also led her to explore entry into vowed religious life, studying and spending a number of years with the Cenacle sisters. She has also explored other faith traditions including the Episcopal Church, Buddhism and Native American spirituality. Her love of learning has led her to studying theology for five years in the seminary and the continuing study, formal and informally, of theology, spirituality and psychology. She has been a justice advocate for women’s rights, animal rights, children’s rights and student’s rights. As a Roman Catholic WomenPriest, she currently has a sacramental ministry as well as a Spiritual Direction ministry specializing in survivors of child abuse. She is the mother of two and the grandmother of eight. Contact Gabriella at StPraxedisRCC@gmail.com.