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 intends to ordain women as priests
30 September 1988
 Mulieris Dignitatem Encyclical by John Paul II on ‘the Dignity and Vocation of Women’
30 December 1988
 Christifidelis Laici, The Vocation and the Mission of the Lay Faithful in the Church and the World Post-Synodal Apostolic Exhortation of His Holiness John Paul II. Says women cannot be ordained priests in §. 49 and 51
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.
1997
 Salt of the Earth: The Church at the End of the Millennium Interview of Joseph Cardinal Ratzinger with Peter Seewald (Ignatius Press, 1997)
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 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
30 May 2008
 Regarding the crime of attempting sacred ordination of a woman

by the Congregation for the Doctine of the Faith		 General Decree to impose automatic excommunication on those who ordain women and women who receive ordination.
2010
 'Benedict XVI Light of the World: The Pope, the Church and the Signs of the Times', A Conversation with Peter Seewald Excerpt translated by Michael J. Miller and Adrian J. Walker (San Francisco: Ignatius Press, 2010)

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

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