[heartwood]

the 3 female pastoral associates I have met have given me the creeps. varying amounts of paganism, egocentricity, contempt for tradition, earnest professionalism but no dedicated life...could we at least have deacons responsible for the parish, and not these termite women?

[Tantumergo]

"...could we at least have deacons responsible for the parish, and not these termite women?"

A number of diocese's are not promoting, or are considering dropping, the Permanent Diaconate, because they have found that too many orthodox men have got through.

Over 50% of PD's are adult converts and so tend to be men who are Catholic for a reason. They are therefore seen as obstacles to the feminist and lay takeover of NewChurch parishes.

This despite Canon Law clearly stating that a deacon should take administrative charge of a priestless parish before consideration be given to lay pastoral administrators.

It would be interesting to know what proportion of these "Pastoral Assistants" are men - do any of you have any ideas on this?