Catholics fight for gender equality at Memphis conference

Fox 6
November 9, 2014

http://www.myfoxal.com/story/27334209/catholics-fight-for-gender-equality-at-memphis-conference

MEMPHIS, TN (WMC) -

The most progressive Catholics in America are in Memphis this weekend to argue for more gender equality in the Catholic Church.

Many of the people attending the Call To Action gathering at Cook Convention Center downtown want to see women in higher church roles. One of the speakers is an Irish priest named Tony Flannery.

The Vatican suspended Flannery from ministry after he refused to sign a document saying that women would never be ordained as priests in the Catholic Church:

"I believe women should have full equality in the Catholic Church and that's a matter of justice.That's a much broader question than ordination," said Flannery. "And in fact, having women's voices heard in decision making and policy making in the church is actually much more important than whether or not women are ordained."

In addition to Flannery, other Call To Action speakers include Kerry Kennedy, one of Robert F. Kennedy's daughters, the Reverend James Lawson, a close confidant of the Reverend Doctor Martin Luther King and Sister Elizabeth Johnson, a noted author, professor and theologian from Fordham University in New York City.

The conference runs through Sunday.