Just to be clear

Those who are in the media business know that you get more bang for your buck if you can time the release of a news article with some other related incident. Evidence a new release which appeared courtesy of Associated Press yesterday.

On the day when the Church celebrated the Solemnity of the Sacred Heart of Jesus, and the World Day of Prayer for the Sanctification of Priests, the Vatican Press Office also issued a new statement reiterating the long-standing position of the Church on the subject of the ordination of women.

In recent years, there has been more than just a little ink spilled over the subject of women expressing their desire to be ordained as Roman Catholic priests, but the Church has never wavered from it's teaching that only baptized males can be admitted to the Order of Presbyter (Canon 1024).

In March of this year, the archbishop of St. Louis excommunicated three women - two Americans and a South African - for participating in a woman's ordination. They were part of the Roman Catholic Womenpriests movement, which began in 2002. Those who have been excommunicated cannot participate in the sacramental life of the Church unless they sincerely repent of their schismatic action and are reconciled with the Church.

Excommunication is a last-resort discipline which is only exercised in extreme situations. All attempts possible are made to reconcile the contrary views which might separate individuals or groups from union with the Church prior to the imposition of an excommunication.

Photo: William Cardinal Levada, Prefect of the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith which issued the statement on Friday.