Permanent Diaconate delayed in Diocese of Killaloe by group of disgruntled women...'Inclusive' group blocks Vocations to serve Christ in Diaconate

I was very saddened to hear of the Bishop of Killaloe's decision to delay the introduction of the Permanent Diaconate to the Diocese. As a parishioner in the Diocese of Killaloe, I know that these women do not represent the majority of women in the Diocese and neither did they consult us about their difficulties with the Diaconate.

The Diaconate is open only to men and I have no problem with that and neither do all the women I spoke with from various Parishes throughout Killaloe.  These disgruntled women organised a meeting very quickly in Co. Clare giving only one day's notice to all other Parishes.  They did not even wait for the Parish Pastoral Councils to meet to discuss the issue either. They decided along with some members of the ACP that their voices alone should be heard and obeyed.  In the papers you would think that these women represent all the women in Killaloe, they do not and neither do they care for the opinions of others especially those who wish to remain faithful to Christ and His Church.  If their Church is so one of inclusiveness, they have a funny way of showing it because they left out the majority of the Diocese, undermining the authority of our Bishop and also undermining every Parish Pastoral Council and then completely ignoring those men who may feel called to the Diaconate by Christ Himself to serve in the Diocese.

I have spoken with quite a number of women in the Diocese from other Parishes who feel very let down by this group of women in Co. Clare who perhaps may be more outspoken on the issue.  There are good faithful women quietly working hard in their local Parishes and Communities day in day out who were never consulted on the delay of the Diaconate.

The one thing that is hardly ever mentioned in all of this is serving Christ and His Church.  But this argument for them is not about service, it is about power which Christ warned against.  That will bear no fruit whatsoever, but only cause division and hurt to the Body of Christ.

We want the Diaconate to go ahead.  To stop men from entering a Vocation which Christ has given to the Church is gravely wrong.  I would ask that the Bishop open up the Diaconate for men in our Diocese as it would bring a sense of renewal and life to our Parishes which are in desperate need of men in ministry and in dire need of Vocations especially to the Priesthood.  Please pray for us in this Diocese and pray for our Bishop Kieran O'Reilly.