By John Hooper
Guardian
May 23, 2010
http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2010/may/23/female-priest-ordained-italy-maria-longhitano
Maria Vittoria Longhitano convinced that Italian laity are 'ready to welcome a female ministry'
A 35-year-old Sicilian became the first Catholic woman to be ordained in Italy on Saturday.
Maria Vittoria Longhitano is a member of the breakaway Old Catholic church. But she was made a priest at the Anglican church of All Saints in Rome ‑ an act some in the Vatican are likely to see as provocative, not least because the organist at the service was dismissed by the Catholic hierarchy after deciding to change sex.
The Old Catholic church broke with the Vatican in the 19th century in protest at the adoption of the doctrine of papal infallibility. It is in full communion with the Anglicans.
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| Maria Vittoria Longhitano lies on the ground during a mass for her ordination. Photograph: Vincenzo Pinto/AFP/Getty Images |
Longhitano, who is married, told the congregation: "I have opened the way. Catholicism means universality, and without women it is mutilated." She said she was convinced the laity in Italy were "ready to welcome a female ministry" and that in her native Sicily people often asked her: "Why don't we have the joy of women priests?"
The first Italian woman to become a priest was Teodora Tosatti, who was ordained in 2006, but the service was held outside Italy, in Bonn, Germany.
Relations between the Anglican community and the Vatican have been particularly sensitive since Pope Benedict last year announced special arrangements for the acceptance into the Roman Catholic church of disaffected Anglican priests and their congregations. Most of those expected to leave are critics of women's ordination – an innovation the archbishop of Canterbury, Rowan Williams, vigorously defended on his last visit to Rome six months ago.
Music for Saturday's service was provided by Luana Ricci, born Marco Della Gatta, the former organist of Lecce cathedral in Puglia.
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