Nichols voices fears over women deacons

Cardinal Vincent Nichols has spoken out against the possibility of a female diaconate, voicing concerns that efforts to make women deacons could derail other attempts to find them leadership roles in the Church. Speaking in Belfast last weekend the cardinal said: “I value both the celibacy of the priesthood and the fact that it is restricted, as I would believe is the wish of the Lord, to men.”

His comments come after Pope Francis set up a commission of six men and six women to study the issue of women deacons last year.

In an interview with the Irish Catholic the cardinal stressed his support for women in leadership roles in the Church and said that “the vast majority of Catholic schools in England and Wales are led by women, as are so many organisations in the English Catholic Church … What I would fear  is that the leadership of women would simply be channelled into the Order of Deacon.” He was in Belfast to deliver the St Brigid’s Day Lecture (see “Understanding Francis”, page 4).

The cardinal defended the Prime Minister, Theresa May, over her recent meeting with US President Donald Trump. Asked if he saw a danger in “cosying up” to Mr Trump he said: “I don’t think the responsible meeting of political leaders to put on a new footing the particularly special relationship  between America and Britain should ever be described as ‘cosying up’.” This was a matter of  “serious politics”, he said, and Mrs May “is a very serious politician”. On the planned state visit, he said, “To me a state visit is not a reward to somebody with whom we agree. It is a serious act of diplomacy.”