FATHER Anthony Shaw's letter (You Say, Friday, May 14) headlined women who dress as men" disappointed me.

rejoice that most in the Church of Rome prefer to engage in dialogue and to show respect and understanding, not only towards Christians in other churches, but towards fellow Catholics who may hold different views from the official one.

Is not Fr Shaw prepared to admit that there are many in his Church who would like to see not just married men join the ranks of the priesthood, but women too?

His argument for an all-male priesthood from the fact that the first Apostles were all men is a familiar one, but it cannot be pressed too far.

They were also all Jews. And one at least, St Peter, whom Catholics claim to be the first Pope, was married, so where does he fit into Fr Shaw's scheme of things?

Authority

Fr Shaw also maintains that the Church does not have the authority to ordain women, and that such ordinations are invalid. For whom is he speaking?

The Anglican Church does have such authority - and let me remind him that the official position of the Church of Rome is that all Anglican ordinations (male and female) are invalid.

Unfortunately, Rome is being slow to act upon its resolve (made in conversations with representatives of the Church of England in 1981) that there should be a reappraisal of that papal verdict made in 1896.

The Anglican Church has been hugely blessed since women were included in the ranks of the priesthood.

It is my hope and prayer that the Roman Catholic Church will itself receive a similar blessing in the not too distant future.

TED DUCKETT,

Member of All Saints' Church,

Worcester.