This piece, Ordination of women: the Church is asking the wrong question, on the Global Catholic site is interesting reading. Essentially the argument is that when we ask “Can the Church ordain women?” we put the Church at the centre of discernment and immediately narrow the investigation. It goes on to suggest that a better, more open, question would be “Is God calling women to ordained ministries?” which puts God at the centre and invites a broader investigation.

In my view that is a valuable contribution to the ongoing issue of the ordination of women. That said, I’m a little troubled by the identification of the author as Father Anne. Does that suggest that the ordination of women would not move the Church forward from its captivity by clericalism?