This came after Fr Nicholas Gregoris challenged Canadian Archbishop Paul-Andre Durocher after a press conference on October 6.

Fr Gregoris, who had been covering Vatican news for 15 years, was told to leave the Sala Stampa premises "immediately" when he arrived there the next day.

The priest said he was not given an explanation.

At the October 6 press conference, Archbishop Durocher was asked if the issue of Communion for the divorced and remarried was a matter of doctrine or of discipline.

"To be quite honest, there might be differences of opinion on that," Archbishop Durocher reportedly said.

"Let's be honest. Is that a question of doctrine or is that a question of discipline? I think that's probably going to be one of the questions that will be debated in the small groups."

"If you want doctrine, go read Denzinger," he added.

As Archbishop Durocher walked back after the press briefing, Fr Gregoris approached him and questioned him on the remarks.

"I told him that I think it was very dangerous to say the Church can change her teaching on the divorced and Communion," Fr Gregoris told LifeSiteNews.

In particular, the priest told Archbishop Durocher that "conciliarism is a heresy", referring to the idea that Church councils can establish doctrine independently of the Pope.

Archbishop Durocher reportedly said little in response, and then walked away.

Referring to his own situation, Fr Gregoris said he didn't "think the Vatican should act like the Gestapo, the politburo".

"They've made a mountain out of a mole hill - they've made it worse."

Fr Gregoris also said that several journalists had approached him after the incident and "thanked me for having the courage to say what I said".

Vatican spokesman Fr Federico Lombardi said in a statement that Fr Gregoris's behaviour toward Archbishop Durocher had violated the ethical code of the Vatican press office.

Fr Lombardi said Fr Gregoris had displayed "deplorable behaviour".

Sources

• Lifesitenews
• Associated Press
• Image: The Guardian

Archbishop Paul-Andre Durocher, a former president of the Canadian bishops' conference, released the text of his synod speech on his blog.

He proposed three courses of action for the synod.

• "That this synod considers the possibility of granting to married men and women, well-trained and accompanied, permission to speak in homilies at Mass in order to show the link between the Word proclaimed and the lives of spouses and parents."
• "That in order to recognise the equal capacity of women to assume decision-making positions in the Church, the synod recommends the appointment of women to positions they are able to occupy in the Roman Curia and in our diocesan curias."
• "Finally, concerning the permanent diaconate, that this synod recommends the establishment of a process that could eventually open to women access to this order, which, as tradition says, is directed non ad sacerdotium, sed ad ministerium ["not to priesthood, but to ministry"]."

Archbishop Durocher also called on the synod to state that a proper interpretation of Scripture can never justify male domination over women.

"In particular, this synod should affirm that the passages where St Paul speaks of the woman's submission to her husband do not justify male domination over women, much less violence towards her," the archbishop said.

He cited World Health Organisation figures that state one third of women worldwide are victims of domestic violence.

The archbishop said the equal dignity of women and men in the Church must be clearly shown to the world.

He cited Benedict XVI's 2006 address to Rome's clergy asking whether it might be possible to give women more offices of ministerial responsibility.

Sources

• National Catholic Reporter
• Image: Salt and Light TV