Pope Francis: Women will never be Roman Catholic priests

Pope Francis has ruled out a woman ever serving as a priest in the Roman Catholic church. He stated this when he was asked by a Swedish journalist during a press conference onboard the papal plane. He said
“Saint Pope John Paul II had the last clear word on this and it stands, this stands,” Francis said in his initial response, referring to a 1994 document stating that women could never join the priesthood.
“But for ever, for ever? Never, never?” the reporter asked
Francis replied:
“If we read carefully the declaration by St John Paul II, it is going in that direction.”
According to The Guardian, the pope went on to say women did “many other things better than men”, emphasising what has been called the “feminine dimension of the church”.
“People ask me: ‘Who is more important in the theology or in the spirituality of the church, the apostles or Mary, on the day of Pentecost?’ It is Mary,” he said. He then added: “More.”
But Francis’s praise of women will do little to comfort feminist Catholics who want women to have a broader role in the church, including ordination. The church has always responded to criticism of the ban on women by pointing out that Jesus only chose men as his apostles. Proponents of a change argue, among other points, that the church is facing a shortage of priests. Francis seemed to open the possibility that women might become ordained deacons earlier this year, when he commissioned a study of the role female deacons played in the early church. Women have been barred from the priesthood for centuries. Under current rules, deacons are ordained similarly to ministers, and are men. While they cannot celebrate mass, they are allowed to preach and conduct some ceremonies, including baptisms, wakes and funerals.

Source: The Guardian