Letter: Rebel bishops
Your support helps us to tell the story
From reproductive rights to climate change to Big Tech, The Independent is on the ground when the story is developing. Whether it's investigating the financials of Elon Musk's pro-Trump PAC or producing our latest documentary, 'The A Word', which shines a light on the American women fighting for reproductive rights, we know how important it is to parse out the facts from the messaging.
At such a critical moment in US history, we need reporters on the ground. Your donation allows us to keep sending journalists to speak to both sides of the story.
The Independent is trusted by Americans across the entire political spectrum. And unlike many other quality news outlets, we choose not to lock Americans out of our reporting and analysis with paywalls. We believe quality journalism should be available to everyone, paid for by those who can afford it.
Your support makes all the difference.Rebel bishops
Sir: The first of your reports (14, 15 September) on Pat Buckley's ordination ceremony for Frances Meigh states as a fact the discredited fable that "there was a 9th-century pope, the English-born Joan, who had been a female priest". The Pope Joan tale has often been refuted, for example by a French Protestant, David Blondel, in 1657. Our modern Anglican expert on the popes says there is no contemporary evidence of a female pope at any of the suggested times, and that the known facts would make it impossible to fit one in.
Buckley's situation has never been "given part-recognition by the Church". The facts are that Michael Cox, himself irregularly ordained bishop, ordained Pat Buckley bishop at a clandestine ceremony in May. Each was automatically excommunicated and has no authority to teach or to act as a Catholic bishop.
There is no foundation for your reporter's claim that our Catholic religious orders "have sharply varying degrees of international conformity to compulsory celibacy, and now, to an exclusively male priesthood".
Pat Buckley is a rebel priest who has become a clandestine bishop. Whatever he does and says is his personal responsibility and has no effect on the Catholic Church. Any male priest he ordains would be automatically suspended by Canon Law from exercising the priesthood.
HUGH LINDSAY
Grange-over-Sands, Cumbria
The writer was Catholic Bishop of Hexham and Newcastle 1974-1992
Join our commenting forum
Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies
Comments