A majority of Catholic women surveyed for a new study on women in ministry on the island of Ireland expressed the view that systemic sexism or overt misogyny exist in the Church.
The study, by the Catholic theologian Anne Francis (pictured), involved 29 women of different Christian denominations working in ministry in Northern Ireland and the Republic. The Catholic women were involved in roles such as parish leader, spiritual accompaniment and school chaplaincy. While the great majority of Catholic women expressed appreciation for their ordained colleagues, many described the behaviour of some clergy as “domineering, disrespectful and unreflexive”.
Holy sites appeal to Israel
The Archbishop of Westminster, Cardinal Vincent Nichols, and the Archbishop of Canterbury, Justin Welby, have called on the Israeli Government to protect the status quo at the holy sites in Jerusalem as a matter of urgency. In a joint letter to the Israeli Ambassador in London, Mark Regev, the two expressed “deep concern at the events unfolding in Jerusalem of unprecedented, punitive and discriminatory taxation of Christian institutions.” Their letter follows a decision of faith leaders to temporarily close the Church of the Holy Sepulchre in protest over a tax on church properties as well as new legislation that would allow the government to claim land sold by the Church.
Child migration apology
Bishop Marcus Stock, vice chair of the National Catholic Safeguarding Commission, has apologised to all those involved in the British Government’s post-Second World War migration programmes as children. The Independent Inquiry into Child Sexual Abuse, in its first report, said that survivors should receive compensation from the Government. The Catholic Church and charities sent about 4,000 children abroad from 1945 onwards. Bishop Stock, who gave evidence to the inquiry, said: “If any former child migrant, not only those who have testified before this inquiry, would wish to meet with me privately, I would welcome the opportunity to do so. I appreciate that some may feel that these apologies and regrets are too little, too late and for others they may not wish to have anything further to do with the Catholic Church. I would fully respect those views, but I remain open to listening and learning from them.”
Former Archbishop of Canterbury Lord Williams of Oystermouth is among 70 signatories to a letter sent to the Daily Telegraph calling for the “faith cap” on schools to remain in place. The current policy prevents new faith-based free schools admitting more than 50 per cent of their intake on the basis of religion. A group of faith leaders, politicians and academics, including the prominent atheists Professor Richard Dawkins and the Chief Executive of Humanists UK, Andrew Copson, said lifting the cap would be “deleterious to social cohesion and respect”. The Catholic Education Service said Catholic schools were “the most socially and ethnically diverse schools in the country”.
Abortion time-limit debate call
The Conservative Party’s vice-chair for women, Maria Caulfield MP, has called for a debate on reducing the 24-week time limit for women to receive legal abortions. Ms Caulfield, a former nurse who is a member of the all-party parliamentary pro-life group, told The House magazine: “We’re up to 24 weeks; in most parts of Europe it’s 15, 16 weeks. With medical advances, we’ve got babies born now at 18, 19 weeks.”
A majority of Catholic women surveyed for a new study on women in ministry on the island of Ireland expressed the view that systemic sexism or overt misogyny exist in the Church.
The study, by the Catholic theologian Anne Francis (pictured), involved 29 women of different Christian denominations working in ministry in Northern Ireland and the Republic. The Catholic women were involved in roles such as parish leader, spiritual accompaniment and school chaplaincy. While the great majority of Catholic women expressed appreciation for their ordained colleagues, many described the behaviour of some clergy as “domineering, disrespectful and unreflexive”.
Cardinal Vincent Nichols was this week holding a second round of discussions with young people ahead of October’s synod in Rome on the topic of “Young People, the Faith and Vocational Discernment.” At the first such gathering last week, Cardinal Nichols invited those present to become “digital disciples” and use their social media skills to start conversations with other young people.
Over the next fortnight, Auxiliary Bishops John Sherrington and Nicholas Hudson will also be meeting young people. A youth worker for Glasgow archdiocese, who is attending a pre-synod Vatican meeting of young people later this month, has said that young people are “leaving the Church in droves for all the wrong reasons”. Sean Deighan, 23, told the Scottish Catholic Observer: “They are leaving because of what they think the Church is and not the reality.”
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