Path: bloom-picayune.mit.edu!snorkelwacker.mit.edu!americast.com!americast.com!americast-post Newsgroups: americast.twt.news From: americast-post@AmeriCast.Com Organization: American Cybercasting Approved: americast-post@AmeriCast.com Subject: Catholic bishops' vote on women's issues looks close Date: Tue, 17 Nov 92 15:07:56 EST Message-ID: \SE A;NATION \HD Catholic bishops' vote on women's issues looks close \BY Larry Witham \CR THE WASHINGTON TIMES As the nation's Catholic bishops begin final debate today on their nine-year project to draft a teaching letter on women's issues, they may be more willing to table the contentious product than adopt it. The letter, which defines "sexism" as a sin and upholds the all-male priesthood, has pleased few and may not get the required two-thirds votes of the bishops. "At this point, the letter does not enjoy sufficient support," said Bishop Matthew H. Clark of Rochester, N.Y., chairman of the bishops' committee on women's issues. Bishop Joseph Imesch of Joliet, Ill., who heads the pastoral letter's drafting committee, also said at a press conference here yesterday that its failure to pass will not be a total disappointment. "What we wanted to do is discuss the issue," he said. It would be unprecedented in recent memory for the National Conference of Catholic Bishops to vote to kill such a major proposed document or remand it to committee. For this reason some church leaders predict it will be passed, with amendments. "This is a very unpredictable body," Bishop Imesch said. The 300 bishops may vote on the letter tomorrow. The document's evolution through four drafts has been described as going from a more liberal to a more orthodox treatment of the nature of the sexes and women in society and in the church. Traditional Catholics said the document was prompted by feminist clamoring and that Pope John Paul II's recent teaching document on women was sufficient. "We should not do this just to make some unhappy women feel better," said Helen Hitchcock of Women for Faith and Family. "What's at stake is the nature of the Catholic Church." Women's rights advocates said that the bishops should never have tried to talk about women. "We've told them from the beginning that they should not write a document on women, but on the patriarchal system," said Ruth Fitzpatrick, president of the Women's Ordination Conference. The conference said the male priesthood is a cultural bias. In contrast, the letter on women said it is the "type of ordained ministry willed by the Lord" and is based on the "significance of the biblical symbolism of Christ as Bridegroom of the Church." Other Catholic groups attended the bishops' meeting to protest sexual-abuse cases in the church and a Vatican advisory asking the bishops to oppose legislation giving homosexuals special civil rights protections. New Ways Ministry and Dignity, both homosexual ministries, gathered 12,400 signatures condemning the recent Vatican advisory and delivered it to Bishop James Malone of Youngstown, Ohio, yesterday. In the fourth draft of the women's letter, "One in Christ - A Pastoral Response to the Concerns of Women for Church and Society," more emphasis was placed on sexual morality. After consultation with the Holy See, the letter was given a stronger section on "anthropology," to show the "equality and dignity" of men and women but also highlight their distinctly different natures. "Feminity and masculinity are values to be celebrated, not obstacles to be overcome," the letter said. This article is copyright 1992 The Washington Times. Redistribution to other sites is not permitted except by arrangement with American Cybercasting Corporation. For more information, send-email to usa@AmeriCast.COM