Vatican City, Nov 26, 2013 / 06:02 am
Pope Francis reaffirmed Catholic teaching on male priesthood in his first apostolic exhortation, while calling for a broader application of the "feminine genius" in Church life.
"The reservation of the priesthood to males, as a sign of Christ the Spouse who gives himself in the Eucharist, is not a question open to discussion," he said, "but it can prove especially divisive if sacramental power is too closely identified with power in general."
The Pope's words came in his new document, "The Joy of the Gospel," released Nov. 26. Also known as "Evangelii Gaudium," the apostolic exhortation follows the 2012 bishops' synod on the new evangelization, which was held as part of the Year of Faith.
"Demands that the legitimate rights of women be respected, based on the firm conviction that men and women are equal in dignity, present the Church with profound and challenging questions which cannot be lightly evaded."