Women & Catholicism

The book investigates three situations in the Catholic Church that point to Catholicism's weak spot: the role of women in the Church. Zagano sheds light on the Catholic Church's hierarchically-imposed laws that keep women at a distance from the holy, whether as liturgical ministers, as wives of priests, or as priests themselves.

"Zagano s commitment to doing her homework is on full display as she ably synthesizes journalism, canon law, ecclesiology, and a solid working knowledge of church practice. It is helpful that, in a book that focuses on borderline cases, she seems committed to not taking sides." - National Catholic Reporter

"Equal parts informative and provocative, Phyllis Zagano s book exhaustively examines the questions of validity and liceity that surround the ordination of women to the diaconate and the priesthood. Ranging from Nebraska to Africa, from Moravia to Rome, Zagano scrutinizes theology and practice for a way beyond the present ecclesiastical impasse. Her argumentation is thorough and fair, her conclusions are sober and constructive, her commitment to a better future is beyond dispute. Zagano s freshness of approach makes this an indispensable contribution to a discussion that will not go away." - Paul Lakeland, Aloysius P. Kelley S.J. Professor of Catholic Studies and Director, Center for Catholic Studies, Fairfield University

"Phyllis Zagano has provided an honest, open, timely and necessary study that will hopefully contribute towards moving the church beyond the impasse in relation to the constellation of issues pertaining to women that it has found itself stuck in for decades. Whatever their ecclesial standpoint, anyone who wishes to understand more fully the realities of the disputes concerning women in the Catholic Church should read this book." - Gerard Mannion, Professor of Theology and Religious Studies and Director , Frances G. Harpst Center for Catholic Thought and Culture, University of San Diego

"Phyllis Zagano, well-known for her advocacy for the ordination of women as deacons, works within the Catholic tradition as a scholar who both respects and stretches existing boundaries. Her study of the irregular, scandalous, and at times perversely entertaining actions of various bishops regarding ordination and other matters presents disconcerting facts and raises uncomfortable questions not only about canonical inconsistencies but also and especially about institutional attitudes toward women." - Dennis M. Doyle, Professor of Religious Studies, University of Dayton

"Zagano untangles the difficult historical, theological, and ecclesiological strands that make up recent public and painfulinteractions of Roman Catholic authorities with sex and gender issues. The book provides a helpfulway into these difficult issues." - TerrenceW.Tilley, Avery Cardinal Dulles, S.J. Professor of Catholic Theology and Chair, Department of Theology, Fordham University

Phyllis Zagano is Senior Research Associate-in-Residence and Adjunct Professor of Religion at Hofstra University and a columnist for the National Catholic Reporter .