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Anglican woman bishop: Pope took 'risk' inviting her to address cardinal advisersAn Anglican woman bishop who addressed Pope Francis and his advisory Council of Cardinals says she believes the pontiff took a "risk" in extending her an invitation to speak to the group and hopes that the Catholic Church will continue to explore the topic of women's leadership with "courage.""I'm aware — not least from various reactions in the aftermath — that to many such an opportunity feels rare, if not historic. I'm thankful for the privilege, and equally want to honor the risk Pope Francis surely took in welcoming...

[Catholic Caucus] Belgian bishops renew push for ‘women deacons,’ married priests ahead of fall Synod session e Ahead of the October session of the Synod on Synodality, the Belgian bishops have renewed their call to open Holy Orders to married men and for the creation of a female deaconate.The bishops of Belgium have proposed female deacons and married priests as top priorities they wish to see discussed at the upcoming session of the Synod on Synodality this coming fall in Rome. The proposals, which are nothing new among liberal bishops, are widely understood among faithful bishops as capitulations to a...

Pope Francis ‘is very much in favor of the female diaconate,’ claims nun invited to address Vatican cardinalsSister Linda Pocher, who was recently asked by Pope Francis to address a group of leading cardinals on the role of women in the Church, said that Francis 'is very much in favor of the female diaconate,' but has no immediate plans to implement it.L - R: Anglican bishop Jo Bailey Wells, Catholic religious Giuliva Di Berardino, Pope Francis Sr. Linda Pocher (far right).VATICAN CITY (LifeSiteNews) — A nun who recently addressed Pope Francis and his C9 group of cardinals attests Francis “is...

Archbishop Viganò: Pope Francis’ invitation of Anglican ‘bishopess’ signals his intention to ‘ordain’ women‘Bergoglio intends to fundamentally change the concept of Holy Orders, placing alongside the Priesthood (reserved for men) forms of ‘non-ordained’ ministry for women, with a view to their sacramental ordination,’ Archbishop Viganó said.Archbishop Carlo Maria Viganò has declared that Pope Francis’ invitation to a female Anglican prelate to speak to the Council of Cardinals about “gender equality and the role of women in the Church” signals his intention to eventually “ordain” women.In a message posted to X on Tuesday, Archbishop Viganò wrote, “Bergoglio intends to fundamentally change...

[Catholic Caucus] Women deacons: ‘too early to make any concrete decisions’ at Synod gatheringROME – Participants in Pope Francis’s Synod of Bishops on Synodality chosen to speak to the media said on Friday that while various topics are being discussed, no decisions will be made on specific issues, and that it is too early in the process to rule on hot-button questions such as women deacons.Asked during an Oct. 20 press briefing whether it was time to make a decision on women deacons, Archbishop Tarcisio Isao Kikuchi of Tokyo said there are “differences of opinions” within the synod.There are also...

Laywoman applauded at Synod for speaking out against women’s ordinationThe female speaker decried suggestions that women could be ordained to the priesthood, emphasizing the unique role of women in the Catholic understanding as biological and spiritual mothers according to the model provided by the Blessed Virgin Mary.VATICAN CITY (LifeSiteNews) — A Catholic laywoman took a stand against women’s ordination during the Synod on Synodality this week, earning applause for defending the Catholic vision of womanhood in opposition to discussions of an ontologically impossible female priesthood.Citing reports from two synod members who were present during the speech at the Paul VI...

[Catholic Caucus] Exclusive: Bishop on synod drafting committee expresses openness to women deaconsExclusive: Bishop on synod drafting committee expresses openness to women deacons">Share on TwitterEmail to a friendPrintOne of the 13 members of the committee expected to draft the hotly anticipated final document from Pope Francis' ongoing Vatican summit on the future of the Catholic Church has expressed an openness to ordaining women as Catholic deacons.In an exclusive interview with National Catholic Reporter, Australian Bishop Shane Mackinlay, elected to the committee role by his peers at the Oct. 4-29 Synod of Bishops, said of discussions about women's ordination: "I'm glad...

[Catholic Caucus] Archbishop supports ordination of women priests. He claims, "No women, no future, no progress"Archbishop Schick supports ordination of women priestsNo women, no future, no progressThe Archbishop Emeritus of Bamberg, Ludwig Schick, would like to see women allowed to become priests in the Catholic Church. Schick says it is God's will that women and men work together cooperatively.When asked by an interviewer what he thought the world would look like with women priests, Schick replied: "At least more feminine, and that would be very good." Without women, "the world doesn't exist and there's no future and no progress.""Gott.Welt.Menschen." to...

For a Synodal Church: Communion, Participation, and Mission Dear Sisters and Brothers in Christ Jesus, We are grateful for the opportunity to share with you the North American Final Document for the Continental Stage of the 2021-2024 Synod: For a Synodal Church: Communion, Participation, and Mission. This significant document is the product of the deepening of the discernment begun by the Church in North America in October 2021. This document also marks a moment of unity and collaboration between the People of God in Canada and the United States of America, a particularly grace-filled experience we hope will be continued...

At Georgetown, former Speaker Pelosi talks women priests, Archbishop CordileoneFormer U.S. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi told students at Georgetown University on March 23 that, growing up, she was more attracted to being a priest than being a Catholic sister because of the priest's ability to celebrate Mass."Turning bread and wine into the body and blood of Christ, that is real power," she said."Maybe one day women will be able to do that as well," Pelosi said, expressing hope that Pope Francis would act on women's ordination.Pelosi spoke to Rev. Jim Wallis, director of the Georgetown University Center on Faith and...

Europe’s synod meeting calls for ‘courageous decisions’ on role of womenEurope’s synodal continental assembly appealed Thursday for “courageous decisions on the role of women within the Church.”According to the assembly’s final document — which is in draft form and is not expected to be finalized for weeks — participants at the meeting in Prague supported the greater involvement of women “at all levels, also in decision-making and decision-taking processes.”The text did not specify what it meant by “courageous decisions” or which “decision-taking processes” it was referring to.Some delegates, notably from Germany, had urged the assembly to endorse the ordination of...

[Catholic Caucus] Germany’s Synodal Way Leader: Exclusion of Women From Ordination Drives Women From ChurchThe final documents produced by the synod assembly in Europe underway this week will influence what priorities and themes should be taken up in the Synod of Bishops taking place at the Vatican this fall.A leader of the controversial German Synodal Way said in a speech at Europe’s synod meeting Wednesday that the exclusion of women from ordination drives women from the Church.Irme Stetter-Karp, the president of the lay Central Committee of German Catholics (ZdK), addressed delegates in the meeting in Prague on Feb. 8.“The stubborn...

Head of German bishops’ conference says he will not accept Vatican’s ‘No’ on women priests 'Access to the ecclesiastical office must be opened up, or it is hard to imagine the future of the Church in our country,” said Bishop Georg Bätzing.(LifeSiteNews) — The head of the German bishops’ conference has declared that he does not want to “accept an irrevocable ‘No’ from the Vatican” regarding the ordination of women priests. According to a report by the German bishops’ own news site katholisch.de, Bishop Georg Bätzing said that “even if Rome sees this point as settled, it is still an...

[Catholic Caucus] Official: German Synod Adopts Resolution For [Invalid] Women Priests82% of bishops and 92% of the handpicked German Synod’s delegates voted on September 9 in favour a resolution against the “exclusion of women from the sacramental ministry” (182 in favour, 16 against, 7 abstentions).Only 10 bishops voted against it (45 bishops in favour, 5 abstentions). Approval rates of around 90% are typical for totalitarian regimes. "Dangerous passages" (Aachen Bishop Dieser) of the document which could have jeopardised the final vote, were changed during the dayThis trick was necessary to avoid another embarrassing rejection as happened the day before with...

How to make the church synodal? Inclusion, say respondents in 3 countriesThis is the official logo for the XVI Ordinary General Assembly of the Synod of Bishops. Originally scheduled for 2022, the synod will take place in October 2023 to allow for broader consultation at the diocesan, national and regional levels. (CNS photo/courtesy Synod of Bishops) WASHINGTON (CNS) — Catholics on two different continents want more inclusion — including of women and LGBTQ Catholics — more adult faith formation and help with engaging young adults.The Vatican set a deadline of Aug. 15 for dioceses and Eastern Catholic churches to release...

Australian council in crisis after motions fail to get enough bishop votesSYDNEY — The agenda for the Second Assembly of Australia’s Plenary Council was disrupted July 6 after more than 60 of the 277 members staged a protest over issues regarding women in the church, including the defeat of a motion to formalize support for the ordination of women as deacons.A sense of crisis among plenary members, lay and clerical, became evident as the protest occurred and in its aftermath.As the scheduled lunch break commenced, the Council’s Steering Committee met to discuss the next steps, while, in a separate room,...

[Catholic Caucus] Pope Francis: ‘Church Must Become Increasingly Synodal’ in World Day of Prayer for Vocations MessageThe 59th World Day of Prayer for Vocations will take place on May 8, the Fourth Sunday of Easter, also known as Good Shepherd Sunday.VATICAN CITY — Pope Francis said on Thursday that “the Church must become increasingly synodal.”The Pope made the comment in his annual World Day of Prayer for Vocations message, published May 5, as Catholics worldwide participate in a global consultation process leading to the 2023 Synod on Synodality.In the message, he emphasized that vocations have a communal as well as...

Australian bishop condemns plenary council document for abandoning ‘fidelity to Catholic Tradition’The working document ‘fails seriously when it abandons fidelity to the Catholic Tradition expressed in the Scriptures and the Magisterium,’ including by pushing female ordination, said Archbishop Porteous. HOBART, Tasmania (LifeSiteNews) – A Catholic archbishop in Tasmania has strongly condemned the working document for Australia’s “Plenary Council,” a meeting of the entire Church in Australia, as representing a Church “that has lost confidence in its identity and mission.”Archbishop Julian Porteous, Archbishop of Hobart since 2013, issued his statement in an April 11 blogpost published on the archdiocesan website. “On...

[Catholic Caucus] German archbishop says female deacons, ‘married priests’ needed to help solve ‘error’ in the ChurchArchbishop Ludwig Schick echoed comments made recently by Cardinal Marx and Germany's Synodal Path, calling for female ordination despite Church teaching prohibiting it. BAMBERG, Germany (LifeSiteNews) — Yet another German prelate has called for “married priests” and female deacons, echoing outspoken Cardinal Marx and other German prelates as Germany’s Synodal Path continues its divergence from Church teaching.In a guest article for daily newspaper “Fuldaer Zeitung,” Archbishop Ludwig Schick of Bamberg advocated for fundamental changes to Catholic teaching on the priesthood, arguing for ordaining “viri...

We Are Church International urges Pope Francis to make the Church participatory in the spirit of the Second Vatican Council An international group of Catholic laypeople have urged Pope Francis to replace the upcoming Synod on Synodality with an assembly of Catholics to make the Church participatory. We Are Church (WAC) International, a global coalition of national church reform groups, made the appeal as Catholics across the world participate in diocesan and regional consultations leading to the Synod of Bishops at the Vatican in October 2023. Pope Francis kicked off the two-year global consultation in Rome on Oct. 10. For...