"We Are Church Ireland" "disappointed" by Pope Francis' Statement on Women Priests

While ‘ We are Church Ireland ‘ is very supportive of Pope Francis’s pastoral approach as Bishop of Rome it is very disappointed with his words of 28^th July 2013 at an mpromptu press conference en route from Rio to Rome, that the ‘door is closed ‘ on the ordination of women in the Catholic Church. He cited Pope John Paul 2 ‘s ban on women priests from 1994 but omitted to mention that the Vatican Pontifical Biblical Commission in 1976 could find no scriptural or theological basis against the exclusion of women from the priesthood.

Pope Francis has called for a ‘deeper theology of women ‘ but ‘what is needed is a renewed theology of sexuality and human rights within the Catholic Church which emphasises the equality and rights of all the people of God to participate in all ministries and positions of authority and service within the Catholic Church’ ,stated Brendan Butler, Spokesperson, We are Church Ireland . Further Information Brendan Butler 086 4054984