Sir, - G.H. Duggan stated incorrectly (April 25th) that the battle for women's ordination in the Roman Catholic Church is already lost because of a 1995 "vote" which occurred at the 20th anniversary gathering of the Women's Ordination Conference. There was no vote, official or unofficial, regarding women's ordination at that gathering. Since 1975, the Women's Ordination Conference has worked, and continues to work, on reform within the Church. We actively work toward this goal by advocating the full participation of women in Church leadership roles. We believe equality will be achieved only through the ordination of women to a renewed priestly ministry.
Just as men are called to ministry, so are women. As the Bible says, "There does not exist among you Jew or Greek, slave or free, male or female. All are one in Christ Jesus." (Gal. 3:28). Women are called by God. Women have the qualifications and the abilities to be priests in the Roman Catholic Church.
The Women's Ordination Conference, and a majority of US Catholics, believe that the church must be open to the full and equal participation of women and men. There has been a steady progression of support for women's ordination over the past 25 years. In a 1999 Gallup poll, 62 per cent of US Catholics supported women being ordained.
Future decisions affecting Catholics and the life of the Church should include female experience and thought. The Church of Jesus Christ should be a Church of compassion, justice, and inclusion. Our current system is demeaning of women - that is to say, sexist. The church is in great need of a new priestly ministry, one that provides a system of support for all those who minister. A Church that does not recognise women as full persons, equal to men, created in the image and likeness of God, is not living up to the teachings of Christ.
The issue of women's ordination is alive and well in the United States and around the world. In honour of efforts to open the church doors to women, WOC members will be joining with Women's Ordination Worldwide supporters in Dublin during the international conference from June 29th to July 1st to further our discussion on the role of women in priestly ministry. To set the record straight, the Women's Ordination Conference continues to work for women's ordination, and for a renewed church. - Yours, etc.,
Genevieve D. Chavez, Executive Director, Women's Ordination Conference, Fairfax, Virginia, USA.