‘Justifiable’ reforms are promoted

Dear Editor, Bro. Malachy Buckley’s queries on celibacy and women’s ordination and his fear of empty churches failing drastic change (Letters, 22/09/2016) have been well-aired in organisations over the past 25 or more years, firstly locally, e.g. by BASIC here in Ireland, CWO in UK and in many other countries, culminating in a present world-wide movement titled Women’s Ordination Worldwide (WOW) which held a mass meeting of all relevant bodies in Philadelphia this year.

Such organisations that have been formed and their almost universal extent show that quite a lot has been and is being done to promote what he and they see as justifiable reforms in the Church.

Regarding celibacy, even more actual headway has been made with Rome in that authority has been made especially for Anglican priests, married and often with families, who have objected to women bishops in their tradition, and who have converted to Roman Catholicism, to be received into the Church and ordained, notably in the UK and the USA. The process is termed ‘The Ordinariate’ (ordinariate.org.uk). In the latter country, their existence is progressing rapidly.

This may assure your correspondent somewhat on these questions.

Yours etc.,

Pat Morgan,

Rosslare, Co. Wexford.