Sacramental blackmail, clergy sexual abuse, clericalism and property disputes are among challenges facing Catholic sisters in India, according to an online panel organized by the Rome-based Voices of Faith.
The reality, easily observable, is that most of the service in the church, especially in the form of ministry and teaching, is done by women. The power to decide resides almost exclusively with ordained men.
The three-page memorandum, signed by about 150 women in India, praises Gracias' words in the interview, but asks for "changes in the policies, practices and structures of the Church so that women can participate fully in" leadership.
The cry for women deacons is getting stronger, even while some fear a mixed-gender diaconate might serve to reinforce clericalism in the church. Many theological experts from India are not optimistic about the possibilities.
