An umbrella group of Catholic nuns says that, while men dominate the Catholic Church, it is making progress. Women are being given a stronger voice says the International Union of Superiors General (UISG). The Vatican patriarchy is giving way somewhat. Pope Francis has appointed a few women in senior Vatican managerial positions. He also gave Read more
The Swiss Bishops’ Conference president has voiced strong support for the abolition of priestly celibacy, a tradition he believes no longer resonates with modern society. In a candid interview with the Neue Zürcher Zeitung (NZZ) am Sonntag, Bishop Felix Gmür (pictured) also acknowledged past mistakes in addressing abuse cases within the Catholic Church and called Read more
Women priests are unlikely to become a reality in the Catholic Church during his lifetime, says retired Archbishop of Dublin, Diarmuid Martin. Martin (78) also discussed clergy sexual abuse and policies of the Church, including the ban on condoms during the AIDS crisis. “I’d be very worried about consultations, which lead to frustrated expectations which Read more
Catholic schools are the jewel in the crown of the church in Australia. While parishes continue to decline, the school sector is often booming. The contrast between ageing congregations and young students is stark. Equally striking is the contrast between relatively youthful school staff and ageing church leaders. Twelve months ago, with the Plenary Council Read more
This is not an easy article to write, but it has been with me for a long time. It comes to the surface when I’m told that priests feel threatened by the ordination of women. Of course, they feel threatened. Would a starving man feel threatened working with a chef? I believe that the option Read more
Pope Francis has unequivocally stated that women cannot be ordained as priests; however, he emphasised the important role they have to play in the life of the Church. In an interview with America Magazine, Francis responded to a question posed by Kerry Webber, executive editor of the magazine published by the Jesuits of the United Read more
We’ve just turned the page on the month of June, traditionally in some parts of the world, the time for priestly ordinations in many parts of the Catholic world. According to figures from the national bishops’ conference, the Church in France was ordained 122 new priests this summer – 77 diocesan and 45 from religious Read more
When the Catholic Church officially addresses the question of whether women can be ordained to the priesthood, as it did in “Ordinatio Sacerdotalis,” the answer is generally something along the lines of: “It can’t be done.” To the modern ear that “can’t” is jarring. After all, the history of humanity is very much a history Read more
Pope Francis used his post-Angelus remarks to call for more female leadership in the church. He would like women to “participate more in areas of responsibility in the church.” “Today there is a need to broaden the spaces for a more incisive female presence in the church,” he said on October 11, “because in general Read more
Her white clergy robes flowing behind her, Sandra Signarsdotter walks down the aisle of Stockholm’s Gustaf Vasa church greeting parishioners, a ritual of hers and a familiar sight in Sweden, where women now outnumber men as priests. In the Scandinavian country, often hailed as a champion of gender equality, the statistics are clear. As of Read more