A former auxiliary of Westminster and Bishop of Middlesbrough argues that the Catholic Church should allow and encourage an open and free debate about the ordination of women

Recently I fell into conversation with a brother bishop. “Unlike you, John,” he said, “I am not a proponent of women priests. But have to admit that the two Anglican women bishops I work with on my patch impress me greatly in their manner of pastoral care. It has certainly given me pause for thought.”

Regular readers of The Tablet will be aware I have had three letters published on the subject of women’s ordination over the past year. On each occasion, my letter had been intended as a one-off. Each time, the steady stream of personal correspondence that ensued forced me to think again. I am not a natural campaigner, but it was impossible to ignore the passionate intensity and cogency of those letters. Virtually all of them expressed a deep sense of frustration that the Church will not sanction any public discussion of this subject.