Women bishops ‘an obstacle’ – Archbishop

The Church of England’s vote in favour of ordaining women bishops has been described by a Catholic prelate as “a difficult moment” for relations with the Catholic Church.

Speaking after the July 14 vote at York University which saw the General Synod vote by 37 to 2, with one abstention, in favour of female prelates, Archbishop Bernard Longley, chairman of the Catholic Bishops of England and Wales’ Department for Dialogue and Unity said that while “visible ecclesial communion” was the desired goal in dialogue between the traditions, “the decision of the Church of England to admit women to the episcopate sadly places a further obstacle on the path to this unity between us”.