Ordination of women ruled out

Women’s ordination would split the Church, Cardinal Karl Lehmann of Mainz has warned, writes Christa Pongratz-Lippitt.

Asked in an interview with the German Catholic Church’s official internet portal katholisch.de when he thought the Church would allow women to become priests, Cardinal Lehmann said that, although he personally could imagine it happening, as a Catholic theologian he did not see how the Church could change the teaching of Popes John Paul II and Benedict XVI.

“The documents are binding to a very high degree,” Cardinal Lehmann explained, adding, “and anyway, I believe that a different decision would bring the Church to the brink of a schism”. The issue of women’s ordination must not be made a yardstick of women’s standing in the Church, Cardinal Lehmann emphasised. “I wish we could have been definitive on the ordination of women as permanent deacons. The discussion over the last 20 or 30 years has been too slow for my taste … Meanwhile we must open all the other important positions there are in the Church for women.”

Asked how he would evaluate the first six months of Pope Francis’ papacy, Cardinal Lehmann replied: “Francis has made a really strong start but I would nevertheless like to give due regard to Benedict XVI’s papacy despite certain mishaps.

As far as spiritual renewal, theological world vision and analysis of the Church’s place in the world are concerned, Benedict did a great deal which will have a lasting place in the future Church.”

Pope Francis’ “impulses and charismatic impacts” must now lead to renewal, he underlined. He could imagine that Francis might now give local bishops’ conferences more scope, he added. But he warned against too high expectations. “The great majority of people have a very un-Catholic image of the Pope. They think things will change overnight. But the Pope has to take others with him – he needs us [bishops],” Cardinal?Lehmann said.