Johannes Nicolaas Maria Wijngaards (30 September 1935 – 2 January 2025) was a Dutch Catholic scripture scholar and a laicized priest.

[5] Wijngaards taught Sacred Scripture at St John's Major Seminary in Hyderabad, India (1963–1976).

During that time he was instrumental in founding Amruthavani communication centre, Jeevan Jyoti theological institute for religious women and Jyotirmai, the statewide planning body for the Catholic dioceses of Andhra Pradesh.

[7] After a spell as Vicar General of the Mill Hill Missionaries in London (1976–1982), he became Director of Housetop, an international centre of adult faith formation (1982–2009).

During this time he pioneered the ‘Walking on Water’ series of video courses for adult faith formation which were co-produced by 15 countries in all continents.

(McCrimmon, Great Wakering) in response to Inter Insigniores (1976), the declaration by the Congregation of the Doctrine of the Faith in which the Vatican's reasons for excluding women are clearly spelled out.

In the decades that followed Rome reiterated its inability to confer ordination on women, culminating in Ordinatio sacerdotalis (1995) and subsequent documents by which the discussion by theologians was curtailed.

[17] The Institute submitted a 'Documented Appeal' to Pope Francis, urging him to restore the ancient ordained diaconate for women.