African Pentecostal Women Pastors in Catholic Europe: Souls in Search of Bodies and Migrant Corporeality

The paper situates the emergence of African Pentecostal women pastors in Catholic Europe as representing a dynamic intersection of faith, gender, and migration, revealing the complexities of identity and embodiment in a multicultural context. These women navigate the spiritual landscape as 'souls in search of bodies,' embodying migrant corporeality that challenges traditional religious structures. Their experiences reflect not only personal spiritual journeys but also broader socio-economic realities, illustrating how faith practices adapt to new environments (Meyer, 2010; Van Klinken, 2015). Through an interdisciplinary approach, combining sociology, theology, and migration studies, we explore how these pastors negotiate their roles within both Pentecostal communities and the broader Catholic milieu, fostering a unique theological perspective that honors their African heritage while engaging with European cultural norms (Butticci, 2016; Burgess, 2018).