Women deacons and married priests: Belgian bishops call for change

In a draft text submitted to the various dioceses, Belgian bishops are calling for the position of deacon - currently reserved for men - to be opened up to women, along with an end to compulsory celibacy.The text includes a list of priorities following the synod that the Catholic Church held in Rome last October.Belgian bishops say the Church needs to facilitate an open dialogue on changes in society, asking that thought be given to the place to be accorded to women within the Church, along with the limitations to ordination currently imposed upon married men.In line with these views, David Nas, a 33-year-old married seminarian from the Chal…