I wish this week’s comic was just a work of fiction, but it seems to be standard fare for women seeking ordination to be a) asked about their weight, or b) asked how they’re going to do their job as a pastor if they have kids.  The questions I put in the interviewer’s mouth for this comic are barely paraphrases of actual questions from real Board of Ordained Ministry interviewers to real female candidates for ordination.

One image I love of the BVM (Blessed Virgin Mary) is that of the God-bearer (theotokos).  Mary, who bears God into the world, is also our Mother in the faith, witnessing to us a life fully engaged in God’s work on earth.  When her son was born, she was told a sword would pierce her heart.  I thought for the purposes of this comic, maybe that could also be a sort of super-power she could wield for crappy interviewers…