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No. 2016. PERTH, THURSDAY, JANUARY 27, 1977
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Papal primacy in Churchs' "agreement"
The "agreement" between groups of Catholic and Anglican theologians, made public lost week, on Church authority represents a "significant convergence" but some difficulties still remain. The statement, issued by authority in heaven and problems that Anglicans the combined study group earth." have with traditional Cathis not binding on eithei All authority, they said, olics teaching on papal priChurch, as is neither of the was for the sake of "koin(• CONTINUED P4) previous two statements, onia" — a Greek word used the Windsor statement on by theologians to mean the • Pallottine Father Eucharist in 1971 and the building up of the communBRYAN TIERNAN Canterbury statement on ion of men with God and (left) has been appointed Ministry in 1973. with one another. Archdiocesan chaplain All Christians had the to Aborigines. He is The theologians list the pictured discussing his difficulties that still exist on authority (and responsibility) new position with Father the extent of Papal author- to witness Christ by word and action. ity: ROME: The Church and there would not I* a BARRY HICKEY, DiSome had special author• The weight given by does "natural resemblence" were rector of the Catholic not consider herCatholics to the "Petrine ity by a gift of the Holy the role of Christ not taken Family Welfare Bureau. self authorised to adtexts," or those passages in Spirit, including pastoral Father Tiernan, a by a man. the Bible traditionally used authority by the gift of ord- mit women to priestly priest for 22 years has statement The explores at ordination, according ination. by Catholics to justify had extensive experience length the nuptial analogy to a Vatican statement claims for the authority of with Aborigines in W.A. were the first witnesses of Churches, even though there throughout the Old and BISHOPS' DUTY released here today. the Pope. He was superintendent the Resurrection. Bishops,_ they said, had is great diversity among New Testaments, calling this An 18-page statement of "DIVINE RIGHT" So, it continues, "a purely them, have_ not diverged expression a mystery and of Wandering Mission the special authority of for four years and, since • The use of the term oversight (the Greek word the Congregation of the historical exegesis of Scrip- from their unanimous stand saying that this is why we "divine right" in Catholic for bishop means "over- Faith, confirmed by Pope tural texts cannot suffice". on this. matter of ordaining can never ignore the fact 1968, he has conducted teaching to describe . the seer") to assure unity and Paul VI in October, admits that Christ is a man. a mobile mission to Ab"Even His Mother, who women to the priesthood. basis of the Pope's claim to fidelity original families throughthe in "local that this is a "position was so closely associated Even when the priest Basing an argument on universal primacy or auth- Church," which was the which will perhaps cause with the ministry of Her out the area from New acts, liturgically, in the ority. Son, and whose incompar- the nature of the sacrament- "person of the Church", he Norcia to the south communion of local com- pain". coast. • The papal claim to in- munities under the bishop It calls the admission of able role is emphasised by al signs, it is said to be a does so as the personal repfallibility under certain cir- in Catholic and Anglican women, by other Churches the Gospels of Luke and "question of an unbroken resentative of Christ. His new role will be to the pastoral office on a John, was not invested with tradition throughout the hiscumstances in matters of thought. an apostolate mainly to The document rejects the tory of the Church, and this faith and morals. Early in Church history, par with men, an ecumeni- the apostolic ministry. metropolitan Aborigines notion that it is a matter of considered norm conto is • The papal claim to said the ARCIC scholars, cal problem. "This fact was to lead and to some country equality of rights, since the "universal immediate juris- various ways of assuring (During the past year, the Fathers to present her form to God's plan for His groups. He will co-orconferred not priesthood is Church". diction" over the whole "koinonia" among the local American Anglicans have as the example of Christ's dinate his work with that the honour or the adChurch and every local Churche were developed — ordained many women, first will in this domain. "In the final analysis, it for already being done by the vantage recipient. of Church. Although she was in the is the Church, through the uch a the organization of irregularly but now with apSisters Bernardine and Also, an attraction for the Even in these areas, how- everal upper room with the Apos- voice of her Magisterium, local Churche proval). Patricia in the metropoliever, the theologians 'sug- around a more prominent tles, it was not she but Mat- that, in these various do- vocation of priesthood does tan area and Father gested ways in which agree- See, local or regional coun- MUCH STUDY thias who was elected; those mains, decides what can, not suffice for a genuine Toop in Kalgoorlie. vocation and the priesthood ment might eventually be cil and synods, ecumenical He will be based at The Roman statement was who were put forward are change and what must rereached or the problems (all-Church) councils, and is a ministry of which the not even named in the gos- main immutable. the Pallottine Centre, in Paul Pope instigated by overcome. Church received charge has "the See of Rome," which November 1975; it con- pel. Rossmoyne. Entering into the theo"eventually became the prin- cedes that there has been a In Apostolic times, it logy of the question, the and control. "CRUCIAL" cipal centre in matters con- lot of recent study of the says, women helped in the document says that it is The Venice statement, as cerning the Church univer-, question in exegesis, pat- Church and were mentioned "not a question of bringing the new document will be sal." rology, Church history, so- by Saint Paul, but they were forward a demonstrative known, is said to offer a ciology, psychology and the not equal collaborators such argument, but of clarifying as Apollos and Timothy. "profound contribution to ROME PRIMACY this teaching by the anastudy of customs. the witness of Christianity They say that there is no logy of faith. They noted that this priRoman says body The in our contemporary so- macy of Rome had been that the advance of women reason for accusing Paul of "Christ himself ' was and ciety". exercised in various ways in the Church has been fos- prejudices against women. In the preface the docu- through the centuries and tered in both the past and It is further held that al- remains a man. • The priest acts in the ment, officially called Auth- that the theological meaning present, especially since the though there were prejudices mity in the Church, speaks attached to it had also var- Second Vatican Council. against women in the writ- "person of Christ", and the of this question being "cm- ied. The crux of the argument, ings of the early Fathers, whole sacramental economy cial to the growth of unity "Yet the primacy, rightly the document explains, is these did not influence the is based on visible signs of the Roman Catholic understood, implied that the that Jesus did not exclude pastoral direction of minisChurch and the Churches of bishop of Rome exercised women from the Twelve teries. ON INSIDE PAGES the Anglican Communion. his oversight in order to Apostles simply to conform Mediaeval theology is "It was precisely in the guard and promote the to the customs of his time. also said not to have 4 ad- Calendar problem of Papal primacy faithfulness of all the deliberately and vanced reasons for the or"He Adverts. that our historical divisions Churches to Christ and one courageously broke with lassified 1101 dination of women, even C found their unhappy orig- another. his milieu, in his attitude to though some of the writers Letters ASK FOR GEOFF CHURACK, in," the preface adds. "Communion with him is women", referring to the wo- are quoted in support now. 4 News In Pars PETER FENNESSY OR PAT MURPHY. The ARIC group discuss- intended as a safeguard of man cured of haemorrhages, adays. ed at some length the na- the catholicity of each local the adulterous woman, and In fact, not until modern Monsignor McMahon 9 ture and types of authority, Church, and as a sign of the the rights of the marriage times has the Church been Sister Philomena Earle 9 noting that all of it was un- communion of all the bond. called upon to defend the der the Lordship of Christ, Churches." 10, 12 Sport Jewish women accompan- practice. CANNINGTON: 1308 Albany H/Way. 68 1826 to whom "God has given all Regarding the specific ied Jesus on his mission and In support, the Eastern TV and Radio MELVILLE: Canning H/Way. 39 1711 lic 0891 . 11
Vatican stand on ordination of women
KEVIN JAMES