PRESS RELEASE 8 March 2022
“We Are Church Ireland calls on the male hierarchy to reform
the sexist structure of the institutional church and end
the second class status of Catholic women.
As a first step towards this goal, it calls on the patriarchy to
ensure that women make up 50% of the National Synodal
Assembly.”
The patriarchal structures in our church have been built up over several centuries
into an elite clerical club which has reserved all decision making for itself. The
exclusion of women is a shameful denial of the example of Jesus Christ and
undermines the full human rights which are due to all.
On International Women’s Day WAC call for women to make up 50% of the assembly
or assemblies of the Catholic Church in Ireland in 2026.
The example Ireland should not follow is the Global Synod in Rome in October 2023
where celibate bishops will have 99% of the votes.
The international examples we should follow include:
German Synodal Path
Australian Plenary Council
Amazon Synod
Latin American & Caribbean Ecclesial Assembly.
Saint Brigid, the patron saint of Ireland, would certainly endorse the full equality of women in our church.
Colm Holmes
Spokesperson
WAC Ireland