Ordination does not confer any power

Dear Editor, Nuala O’Loan is very well aware of the important roles that women have played in the history of the Church, as can be seen in her article under The View (‘The Church needs to separate decision-making from ordination’ IC 22/10/2015). However, she still would like to see women holding more ‘prestigious’ places in the decision-making process of the Church, and suggests that this process might be separated from ordination.

It seems to me that this suggestion may arise from a failure to understand that ordination is essentially a form of service to the Church. It does not confer any ‘power’ in the sense of being able to enforce the decisions made. ‘Power’ needs to be distinguished from ‘authority’. 

Yours etc.,  

Fr Colm Burke, 

Claremorris, Co. Mayo.