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Can you say where in the Gospels Jesus institutes the presbyterate (priesthood) and the deaconate? Hint: nowhere. St. Paul mentions deacons along with bishops in his letter to the Christians of Philippi. Later, in the first epistle to Timothy, Paul (or more likely someone writing in his name) talks of the qualifications for those ministries. Read more
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For committed Catholic Kate Englebrecht, most days at her home in Mudgee in the central west of New South Wales start with a simple routine — quiet reflection and prayer. It is in stark contrast to the recent turbulent times for the church, including a royal commission which exposed widespread sexual abuse, and the conviction Read more
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Women have legitimate claims to seek more equality in the Catholic Church, Pope Francis says. The Church has to acknowledge a history of male domination and sexual abuse of women and children and it must repair its reputation among young people or risk becoming “a museum”, he says. Francis made these comments in the 50-page Read more
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Trailblazing women priests have been feted by the Archbishop of Canterbury, Justin Welby, at a special service. Welby led the service in London to commemorate the 25 years since the first woman was ordained to the presbyterate in the Church of England. Over 80 women priests were at the celebrations. Some were among those who Read more
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The Anglican Church in Aotearoa, New Zealand and Polynesia is preparing to celebrate 40 years since women priests were first ordained here. When it ordained five women on 3 December 1977, New Zealand was the fourth province of the Anglican Church to ordain women priests. The first woman ordained an Anglican priest was Li Tim Read more
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En route to Rome, after his visit to Sweden, a journalist asked Pope Francis “Is it realistic to think of women priests also in the Catholic Church in the coming decades?” The world is finding it hard to adjust to a Pope who speaks off the cuff. He has been dubbed “the Pope of the Read more
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Dozens of posters of illicit women priests were plastered in Rome near St Peter’s Square last week in a provocative campaign. Above the image of one of the women priests were the words “some women disobey”. The putting up of the posters in Rome’s Trastevere neighbourhood and near St Peter’s was part of a “jubilee Read more
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God writes straight with crooked lines. -Portuguese Proverb The question of the theology of ordination to the priesthood just isn’t going to go away. First, in a meeting with Italian priests in Rome in February, the Pope, they tell us, said that he is going to put the topic of the ordination of married men “into Read more
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A prelate who has previously called for a relaxation of mandatory celibacy for priests has been appointed as the de facto head of the Catholic Church in Belgium. Pope Francis has named Archbishop Jozef de Kesel as the new Archbishop of Mechelen-Brussels. Currently the Bishop of Bruges, Archbishop-elect De Kesel is seen as a moderate Read more
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A US nun was excommunicated and dismissed from her religious order last week after admitting that she was secretly ordained as a priest. Sr Leticia Rawles, 67, was ordained in April by the Association of Roman Catholic Women Priests and has since presided over religious services. Currently critically ill in hospital, Sr Rawes said she Read more
