WOW call on Pope Francis to dialogue with women called to priesthood

For Immediate Release: June 23, 2018

Women’s Ordination Worldwide (WOW) is deeply disappointed by Pope Francis’ reiteration of the “closed door” stance on women’s ordination.  We call on Pope Francis to lead by example and dialogue with the many women who are called to priesthood.

The Vatican’s repeated attempts to limit God’s priestly call to celibate men causes great pain to the women who have discerned their vocation to the priesthood, as well as to the people of God who are deprived of women’s gifts and sacramental leadership. WOW stands with women who are alienated and dismissed by his discriminatory remarks as their call from God to priesthood is repeatedly denied by the Church hierarchy.

In the same interview, Pope Francis, referring to Vatican relations with China, is quoted saying, “Dialogue is a risk, but I prefer risk rather than the certain defeat that comes with not holding dialogue.” Pope Francis has encouraged fearless dialogue throughout his pontificate. We expect the same fearless dialogue in other contexts of the Church’s life, including women’s priestly vocation and equality in the Church.

Pope Francis continues: “There is no Church without women.” We pray that Pope Francis comes to realise that there is also no credibility in the Church without equality for women.  If dialogue is a risk, we must call our Church leaders to find the courage to listen to women as equals in Christ. Without further dialogue on women’s ordination, sexism will remain undefeated.

Contact WOW Leadership:
Alicja Baranowska: (Belgium & Poland)  +32 488 67 60 20  alicja.baranowska@wp.pl
Pat Brown: (UK) +44 7950048628 pat@patbrown-at.co.uk
Colm Holmes: (Ireland)  +353 86 606 3636 colmholmes2020@gmail.com
Kate McElwee: (Italy & USA) +39 393 692 2100 kmcelwee@womensordination.org

Women’s Ordination Worldwide (WOW): Founded in 1996, WOW is an international network of groups whose current mission is the inclusion of women in all ordained ministries in the Roman Catholic Church. Founded on the principle of equality, WOW opposes all discrimination. ‘There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is no longer slave or free, there is no longer male and female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus’. (Galatians 3:28)