An Italian archbishop proposed exploring a form of liturgical “co-presidency” in which women would lead the Liturgy of the Word while priests would preside over the Eucharistic consecration during Mass.
On May 24, Notizie, the bulletin of the Diocese of Modena‑Nonantola, published a lengthy speech by Archbishop Erio Castellucci concerning women’s participation in the liturgy, held during a conference organized by the feminist Centro Italiano Femminile group in Carpi. The news was then picked up by the Italian blog Messainlatino on June 30.
We would need to identify a role for women that could take the form of a co‑presidency of the assembly,” Castellucci said. “Women could take particular care of the first part, the Liturgy of the Word, proclaiming the Lord’s Pasch, as Mary Magdalene did to the apostles. And men could assume the presidency of the second part, which involves the consecration.”
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