Conference urges new role for women in Church

by Cristina Odone
A GROUP of Catholic women, including nuns will break new ground next week when they hold the first conference ever to focus on women's ordination in this country.
The St Joan's International Alliance, which since its founding in 1911 has been working for women's rights both within society and the
Church, is sponsoring the historic conference, entitled "Women Priests: Why Not?" (Catholic Herald, May 30).
Next Friday's con-ference. comes only weeks after the
Catholic Bishops' national consultation in preparation for the forthcoming synod on the laity revealed that the majority of those asked about women's ordination are in favour of it.
"Women Priests" also foreshadows the Anglican General Synod, taking place the following week, which is expected to deal with the issue of women's ordination.
"I am surprised at the 'aniount of attention the conference is stirring" the President of St Joan's International Alliance, Sr Kira
Solhdoost, told the Catholic Herald last week. "We have been pressing for women priests for years.
The Alliance, which numbers 250 members worldwide, including both nuns and lay women; enjoys a consultative status with the United Nations' Economic and Social Council. Its members meet once every three years to hold international conferences (the next one is in October) and several times each year at a national level.
The Coordinator of the forthcoming conference, lanthe Pratt, explained that the Alliance, in working f' women's equality across the world, fills an important need within a Church that has important bases in a number of "countries where women still suffer greatly from discrimination."
The role of women within the Church has undergone important changes since Pope John XXIII, according to Ms Pratt: "Women couldn't touch the linen used by priests, couldn't read during the service, couldn't preach or touch the Sacrament. With Vatican II, which made way for married deacons, and with the recent 'coming of age of the laity' the ordination of women may well become a reality soon."
The arguments in favour of women's ordination — arguments put forth by the women polled in the Bishops' recent consultation, Called to Serve, and supported by the Alliance — include: many
women feel male, celibate priests have no understanding of their female parishioners, and indeed often treat them with condescension; women often feel embarrassed before a male confessor; many women, feel alienated from an institution where all the decision making is undertaken by men.
"In Britain, in particular, the support for women priests has been growing in strength for a number of years now." Ianthe Pratt told the Catholic Herald: "I headed the women's group at the National Pastoral Conference in 1980: the delegates there voted in favour of women priests and moreover issued a number of recommendations which are still very valid." Among these recommendations were an increase in the use of women as readers, and as participators in offertory processions; the establishment of more small groups at a parish level where women's roles are discussed, and the development of women's confidence through adult religious formation.
"It is important to remember that, historically speaking, women have in the past held important positions within the Church hierarchy," Publicity Officer Joan Morris pointed out: "In the middle ages, abbesses controlled a great many parishes, and until 1210 women could hear confessions. In a way, tradition supports us."
Sr Kira professed optimism as to the outcome of next week's conference: "We need to show that there are many women — and men — who feel strongly about this issue. Once the bishops witness their concern, I think we will bring about change: gradually, at first, but in the end we shall have women who are priests."