PETITION FOR THE ADMISSION OF
MARRIED MEN
TO THE ROMAN CATHOLIC PRIESTHOOD
PATRONS
PROFESSOR MICHAEL HORNSBY-SMITH
Rt Hon THE BARONESS WILLIAMS OF CROSBY
DR JOHN PUGH MP
This petition will be presented by one of
the bishops to the Conference of Bishops of England and Wales at their meeting
in November 2008.
We are following the great success in Australia
where almost 17,000 Catholics (of a total Catholic population of 5.3 million)
signed the petition and submitted it to their bishops for
consideration. Promoted there by well-known Catholic writer and
broadcaster, Paul Collins, it was supported by many priests and some of the
bishops.
Maureen
Robinson took the initiative for England and Wales, and the Petition is now
being taken up by a number of organisations including the Movement for a
Married Clergy, Catholics for a Changing Church, We Are Church
UK, Catholic Women’s Ordination
and many individuals. We are seeking the maximum number of signatures to
present to the bishops.
You can READ THE PETITION and PRINT COPIES to collect signatures HERE.
We
ask that you print it off and collect as many signatures as possible
from fellow Catholics. Signatures
need to be posted to the address given on the form by 1 September 2008.
PETITION SUNDAY
As
a nationwide focus we are promoting Sunday
29th of June 2008, the Solemnity of Peter & Paul as 'Petition
Sunday' when we hope as many parishes as possible will announce the petition
at mass and collect signatures. As a prelude to ‘Petition Sunday’ a variety
of approaches will be made to clergy, parishes and the media.
You
can also sign online here by going to
http://www.petitionthem.com/default.asp?sect=detail&pet=4024
**
PLEASE ONLY SIGN ONLINE OR ON ONE OF THE PETITION FORMS **
The results will be published on this website in October 2008.
PRESS
Lord Patten: Let women and married men become Roman Catholic priests - Telegraph
For further information:
Contact us:
info@marriedpriests-ew.org
Although the ad hoc committee is working entirely
voluntarily there will be postage and advertising costs. If you are able to
support the petition financially, please send a donation payable to LWT marked
on the reverse 'Petition' to The Living Word Trust, 1 Carysfort House, 14 West
Halkin Street, London SW1X 8JS
Ad hoc
committee: Michael Winter (Movement for a Married Clergy), Valerie Stroud
(We Are Church UK), Maureen Robinson (wife of a resigned priest, originator of
the petition in the UK), Frank Pycroft (Catholics for a Changing Church),
Ianthe Pratt (Catholic Women’s Ordination), Jackie Hawkins (New Wine), Jackie
Clackson (Housetop), Simon Bryden-Brook (The Living Word Trust, European
Network – Church on the Move)