This is the result of a two year theological reflection on the religious and social activities of Catholic women’s organisations. The organisations are found to be active in the area of human rights and particularly women’s rights, as expressed in a critique of society and the Church, and in campaigning or working in the field of social concern. The background to their work is a view of the image of God in all people, which I have compared with the feminist (...) principle of Imago Dei. I find in the activities of these women’s organisations, which are inclined to be marginalized as they deal with day to day issues, Norvene West’s principle of ‘tender competence’ which describes their importance for a theological agenda and helps make them visible to theological reflection. (shrink)

Disregarding trends of secularization, the Virgin Mary still plays an important role in religious devotions all over the world, even in the West. This does not diminish the controversies, debates and theo-political struggles that surround Mary and a Marian theology, as will be shown in this article. Western feminist theologies mostly choose, in general accordance with the Second Vatican Council, for a liberating, biblical, human Mary contra a more cosmological Mary, object of devotional piety. This contribution gives a critical sketch (...) of the background of these developments in Mariology and argues for a closer look at Marian devotional practices in order to find some inspiring elements for rethinking divine presence, Mary and perhaps a new Mariology. Can feminists find inspiration in this approach without forfeiting critical power and without denying the paradoxical and dangerous dimensions of Mary? (shrink)