Dear Brothers in Christ
Impelled by the Holy Spirit, and out of our deep love for the Church and for the world, we make this submission in preparation for the forthcoming Synod of European Bishops.
We agree with the Instrumentum Laboris that "the care of vocations is a vital topic in looking to the future of the Christian faith on the continent and in the spiritual progress of the peoples of Europe" (par. 81). We are also fully in agreement with the belief that "a qualitative leap is needed in the pastoral care of vocations in the European Churches" (par. 81). It is our profound conviction that this "qualitative leap" requires the recognition that today God is calling women, married and single, to serve the Church in all the ordained ministries.
We note the document's repeated insistence that "the Church needs to mirror the true face of the God of Jesus Christ, who does not put obstacles in the path of freedom, but is the guarantor of true freedom" (par. 55). There is no truer freedom than the freedom to respond to God's deepest call in our lives.
Yet today, many women experience both the joy of God's call to ordination and the pain of their bishop's refusal to listen, test, discern, foster and recognise their vocation. A Church that denies women the freedom to serve as God calls them to serve, fails to mirror the true face of the God of Jesus Christ.
As long as women are excluded from Breaking the Bread and Preaching the Good News, God's healing love can neither reach the Church's brokenness nor be communicated effectively to the world. We therefore strongly support the Instrumentum Laboris call for a "salutary examination of conscience" (par. 41) and request you, our bishops, to raise the question of the ordination of women in your interventions during the Synod.
To remain silent when this issue* is discussed widely in the Church today, would surely be a failure to discern the signs of the time and to listen to "the Spirit at work in the hearts of each person" (par. 40)
We make our request
in union with Mary,
from whom the Church first received
the Word,
our Bread of Life,
Jesus Christ
Yours in joyful hope
Gabrielle Cassidy
Chairperson
BASIC
*MRBI Poll û 71% of Irish people are in favour of the ordination of women
AND
22,000 signatures to a petition calling for the ordination of women gathered and sent to the Bishops in April '99.
| Bishops | = | No women |
| Papal nominees | = | 0 out of 23 |
| Experts | = | 2 out of 17 |
| Auditors | = | 16 out of 38 |
Cf. Cardinal Suenens' comment at the Vatican Council "Where is the other half of humanity?"