Rome's Main Documents

Rome’s Main Documents

on the ordination of women

Dates Document Name Description
1975 Report of the Pontifical Biblical Commission This report by international Catholic Scripture scholars concluded that the ordination of women could NOT be excluded on the basis of Scripture.
1975 - 1976 Correspondence between Donald Coggan, Archbishop of Canterbury and Pope Paul VI The Archbishop of Canterbury informs the Pope of Anglican studies regarding women priests.
15 October 1976 Inter Insigniores Declaration by the Congregation for Doctrine giving reasons why women cannot be ordained.
27 January 1977 Commentary on Inter Insigniores Official commentary by the Congregation on its text.
1983 The new Code of Church Law The exclusion of women from ordination again entered into law.
1984 - 1986 Correspondence between Robert Runcie, Archbishop of Canterbury, Pope John-Paul II and Cardinal Jan Willebrands of the Secretariat for Christian Unity The Archbishop of Canterbury informs Rome of the reasons why the Anglican Communion imtends to ordain women as priests
30 September 1988 Mulieris Dignitatem Encyclical by John Paul II on ‘the Dignity and Vocation of Women’
13 March 1989 Profession of Faith & Oath of Fidelity Oath imposed on theologians and parish priests. See also Ad Tuendam Fidem, below
24 May 1990 Donum Veritatis Instruction by the Congregation for Doctrine on the Ecclesial Vocation of the Theologian
11 October 1992 The Catechism of the Catholic Church Says women cannot be ordained priests in § 1577.
22 May 1994 Ordinatio Sacerdotalis Apostolic Letter by Pope John-Paul II on reserving priestly ordination to men alone.
28 October 1995 Responsum ad Dubium Response by the Congregation for Doctrine concerning the binding nature of Ordinatio Sacerdotalis.
28 October 1995 Letter by Cardinal Ratzinger Commentary on the Congregation for Doctrine's Responsum .
29 June 1995 Letter to Women Papal Letter to prepare the Beijing Conference.
28 May 1998 Ad Tuendam Fidem ‘Motu Proprio’ of John Paul II tightening norms for theologians in the Code of Church Law.
29 June 1998 Commentary on Ad Tuendam Fidem by the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith Contains the judgment that those who hold women can be ordained priests, are ‘ no longer be in full communion with the Catholic Church’.
23 March 2000 Letter to priests Holy Thursday letter of Pope John Paul II to priests.
27 July 2001 Regarding Female Altar Servers Letter of the Congregation for Divine Worship on the Bishop’s authority to allow women to serve at the altar.
10 July 2002 Monitum
by the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith		 Warning ‘regarding the attempted ordination of some Catholic women.
2002 The secret examination of new Bishops Contents of document with questions submitted to candidates to Episcopal office.
21 December 2002 Decree ‘On the attempted priestly ordination’
by the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith		 Affirmation of excommunication of the women who ‘attempted to receive ordination’.
31 May
2004		 The Collaboration of Men and Women
by the Congregation for the Doctine of the Faith		 Letter to the Bishops of the Catholic Church on the Collaboration of Men and Women in the Church and in the World

  1. Relevant Texts from recent Church Councils
  2. Papal Documents on Homosexuality

For related online Libraries see:

Equality for Women
The ORDINATION OF WOMEN in the Catholic Church Catherine of Siena VIRTUAL COLLEGE
THE BODY IS SACRED MYSTERY AND BEYOND

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