Boston Cardinal Nixes Priest's Talk at Parish

By Sean O'Malley
Boston Herald
June 26, 2013

bostonherald.com/news_opinion/local_coverage/2013/06/boston_cardinal_nixes_priests_talk_at_parish

BOSTON — Boston Cardinal Sean O'Malley has banned an Austrian priest from speaking at a Dedham parish because the priest advocates ordaining woman and making celibacy for priests optional.

A church spokesman tells The Boston Globe that archdiocesan policy doesn't allow speakers on church property who advocate positions contrary to church doctrine.

The Rev. Helmut Schuller was scheduled to speak at St. Susanna Parish on July 17. His talk has been moved to a nearby Unitarian Universalist church.

Schuller is founder of the Austrian Priests' Initiative, which advocates allowing women and married people to become priests as a way to address a global priest shortage.

Sister Chris Schenk of Future Church, which supports opening ordination to baptized Catholics, says it's a "very, very sad message" that laypeople can't have a Catholic venue to discuss honest concerns.