Thanks Joe and thanks DMcG.

I find it fascinating this side of the pond that this week's synod vote on women Bishops for the Anglican Church of England has lobby groups both sides of the fence and the "traditional" lobby group which opposes women is a joint Anglican and Catholic group. In the meantime, The Church of Ireland has just appointed a woman as a bishop.

To an outsider, such debates just increase the irrelevance of the church, regardless of flavour. I looked at the questions UK Catholics are being asked and my thoughts were that the questions have been phrased to get the answers conservative forces want. "This is what you asked for. ..."

Yet I cannot and frankly will not understand how in this day and age any membership organisation can openly refute equality of women, can debate a position on gay people and indeed divorced people and promote nothing to the unwanted baby or overpopulation debate other than abstinence. Then polarise the moral debate on abortion.

To ask their members to follow their rules is one thing but both our governments have those who wish to impose religious restrictions on the rest of us. It doesn't help. ..