New bishop of Ferns clarifies women priests comments after controversy

After Fr Ger Nash appeared to support calls for the ordination of women in an interview with The Clare Champion, he stated that he “fully accepts” that ordination of women “is not in our Church”.

In an interview with the The Clare Champion June 18, the bishop-elect of Ferns was asked if he believes women should be allowed to become priests, responding that the full ministry in the Church should be open to all baptised people.

Speaking to The Irish Catholic, Fr Nash said he was not “as clear as I should be on that”.

Agrees

He confirmed that he “absolutely” agrees with rulings by Pope John Paul II and Pope Francis that the Church has no authority to introduce ordination for women.

“It’s way outside my area of competence all together,” Fr Nash explains. “I suppose what I was coming at there, the work I’ve done over the past few years is supporting women in ministry. You know, those roles – to get roles for men and women, to develop a whole sense of room for women to minister within the Church. Ordination is a separate issue which is not in our Church and I fully accept that.”

Read more here – New bishop of Ferns ‘daunted’ but eager to get started