The Church is still stuck in “19th century mode” on the issue of women, Mary McAleese has said.
Three years ago, the Vatican started a synodal process to “provide an opportunity for the entire People of God to discern together how to move forward on the path towards being a more synodal Church.”
In October, the findings will be discussed in Rome and the role of women is expected to feature prominently.
On The Pat Kenny Show, the former president predicted there would be little change in relation to the role of women in Church which she said “still inhabits that old world” in relation to matters of gender.
“Not that terribly long ago - probably a century ago - you would have found all sorts of reasons why they shouldn’t be, couldn’t be and can’t be lawyers, doctors, politicians when they hadn’t the right to vote,” she said.
“But those were all broken down - every one of those arguments was bogus.
“They were nonsensical, they were gender based and rubbish and they were all eventually broken down under the sheer weight of the fact that they were rubbish.”
Pope Francis celebrates Mass. (AP Photo/Andrew Medichini)Dr McAleese said the Church’s stance on women stands in contrast to the views of many Catholics around the world – particularly when it comes to the issue of women priests.
“Even though consultation all around the world showed that the people of God - the laity in particular - wanted change in relation to leadership roles for women, decision making roles for women, access to the diaconate and ordination … regrettably what has happened is that we now have, essentially, paralysis on that,” she said.
“The issue of leadership of women in the Church has been off the synodal agenda and sent off to the Dicastery for the Doctrine of the Faith for them to prepare a report.
“Which means it’s back in the hands of a bunch of men again - clerical men - who will then advise the Pope on the future leadership roles of women in the Church.”
The funeral of a priest, Holy Cross, Ardoyne, Belfast. (Dermot Blackburn / Alamy Stock Photo)Dr McAleese, who obtained a doctorate in canon law after her presidency, said the Pope’s own views mean the status quo is likely to prevail on the issue of ordination of women.
“Regrettably, the Pope himself in an interview just a few weeks ago with an American television channel, he ruled out the… ordained priesthood for women,” she said.
“So, he’s already made up his mind on those issues and I presume what the Dicastery for the Doctrine of the Faith will do is simply give him a document that flatters the opinion that he already has - which is what we already have… The Church is regrettably in that 19th century mode.
“Everything that is said about women and priesthood sounds terribly like the reasons why women weren’t allowed to be students at Trinity College 100 years ago.”
Beatification of Pope John Paul II on St. Peter's Square. © Wojciech Strozyk / AlDr McAleese said that, while many westerners disagree with the status quo, the retention of the ban on women priests would delight the many Catholics who still hold more conservative ideals about the role of women.
“The Church is dying in the liberal western world where women’s issues have consumed a huge amount of political dynamism,” she said.
“But in the very conservative global south where the Church is flourishing, the seminaries are full, this document [that will be published] in October shows quite clearly the influence of the global south.
“Quite frankly, the global south has won out.”
In 2021, 69% of people in Ireland ticked a box in the census identifying themselves as Roman Catholics.
Main image: Former President Mary McAleese. Image Paul McErlane / Alamy
