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WORLD NEWS Tuesday 12 January 2021
Pope says women can read at Mass, but still can’t be priests

By NICOLE WINFIELD time the Vatican has ex-
Associated Press plicitly and through canon
ROME (AP) — Pope Fran- law allowed women ac-
cis changed church law cess to the altar. She said
Monday to explicitly allow it was a necessary first step
women to do more things before any official consid-
during Mass, granting them eration of the diaconate
access to the most sacred for women.
place on the altar, while “This is the first codification
continuing to affirm that of allowing women inside
they cannot be priests. the sanctuary,” said Zaga-
Francis amended the law no. “That’s a very big deal.”
to formalize and institu- Noting that bishops have
tionalize what is common long called for such a
practice in many parts of move, she said it opens the
the world: Women can be door to further progress.
installed as lectors, to read “You can’t be ordained
Scripture, and serve on the as deacons unless you’re
altar as eucharistic minis- installed as lectors or aco-
ters. Previously, such roles lytes,” said Zagano, an ad-
were officially reserved to junct professor of religion at
men even though excep- Hofstra University.
tions were made. Lucetta Scaraffia, the for-
Francis said he was mak- In this file photo dated Sunday, Nov. 29, 2020, Pope Francis holds his pastoral staff as he arrives to mer editor of the Vatican’s
ing the change to increase celebrate Mass, at St. Peter’s Basilica. women magazine, howev-
recognition of the “pre- Associated Press er, called the new changes
cious contribution” women the priesthood for men. women in the early church. nance of the church, while a “double trap.”
make in the church, while The change comes as Francis has created a sec- also helping address priest She said they merely for-
emphasizing that all bap- Francis remains under pres- ond commission of experts shortages in several parts of malize what is current prac-
tized Catholics have a role sure to allow women to to study whether women the world. tice, including at papal
to play in the church’s mis- be deacons — ministers could be deacons, after a Opponents say allowing it Masses, while also making
sion. who perform many of the first one reported on the his- would become a slippery clear that the diaconate is
But he also noted that doing same functions as priests, tory of women deacons in slope toward ordaining an “ordained” ministry re-
so further makes a distinc- such as presiding at wed- the early church. women to the priesthood. served for men.
tion between “ordained” dings, baptisms and funer- Advocates for expanding Phyllis Zagano, who was a “This closes the door on the
ministries such as the priest- als. Currently, the ministry the diaconate to include member of the pope’s first diaconate for women,” she
hood and diaconate, and is reserved for men even women say doing so would study commission, called said in a phone interview,
ministries open to qualified though historians say the give women greater say the changes important giv- calling the change “a step
laity. The Vatican reserves ministry was performed by in the ministry and gover- en they represent the first backward” for women.q

Snow, heavy rain in Balkans cause floods, disrupt traffic

By JOVANA GEC ing water after days of Albania and bridges and
Associated Press rain and snow around the roads have been dam-
BELGRADE, Serbia (AP) — southern town of Leskovac aged, leaving villages iso-
Days of heavy rain and and nearby areas. lated and forcing emer-
snow across the Balkans left In central and eastern Ser- gency deliveries of water
homes and fields flooded bia, thousands of people to hundreds of people.
Monday, disrupted traffic were left without electricity Power outages were also
on highways and at ports as heavy snow collapsed reported, which meant
and caused power out- distribution lines. Serbia’s that some schools could
ages. state power company EPS not reopen Monday as
In Serbia, authorities on said Monday they were authorities struggled to
Monday started clearing working to restore power. handle water levels at the Ducks pass a flooded yard as a dog watches, after heavy
up tons of garbage that Authorities urged drivers main hydropower system rainfalls in Obot village, about 100 kilometres (60 miles)
was clogging a southwest- not to take to the road un- on the Drini River. The army, northwest of Tirana, Albania, Monday, Jan. 11, 2021.
ern lake after it was swept less absolutely necessary police and local emer- Associated Press
off from landfills by over- because of heavy snow. gency teams stepped in to was flooded and seriously The snow has made the
flowing rivers. Emergency Traffic disruptions and assist isolated residents in damaged, but Zabeli said situation even harder for
measures were announced speed limits due to snow Shkoder, Lezha and Durres, he was getting little help. residents in central Croa-
in the southern Doljevac were reported in Croatia, where major flooding in “No one is interested,” he tia, which was hit by a ma-
and Vlasotince municipali- where a bus overturned 2010 caused devastation. complained. “You may suf- jor earthquake on Dec. 29.
ties, where rescue teams early Monday on the main In Kosovo, officials were fer a loss here and no one Many people cannot stay
helped more than two doz- east-west highway, injuring talking with NATO-led would care.” in their damaged homes
en people evacuate their eight people. peacekeepers over how to Slippery roads and strong and have been sleeping in
homes. Floods were reported in Al- help flood-hit areas in the winds prompted authorities containers.
The state RTS television bania and Kosovo, where west where people have to ban trucks with trailers Heavy rains further south in
reported that numerous days of heavy rain mixed been forced to evacuate and double-decker buses Montenegro damaged a
homes, barns and fields with snowy weather. their homes. A house in the on some roads, as many fortress wall in the southern
were flooded and villages Thousands of acres of land village of Fushe belonging Adriatic Sea ferry connec- town of Ulcinj, near the bor-
were left without drink- were flooded in western to 60-year-old Muj Zabeli tions were halted. der with Albania.q