----- > (3) I have a reference somewhere to ladies called
> CONHOSPITAE who called down the wrath of bishops
> because they were assisting priests to take the
> Sacraments to the sick & dying. These seem to be early
> proto female "clergy" - administering but (probably) not
> consecrating the sacraments.
The only primary souce which I know of is a letter from three Gaulish
bishops, Licinius of Tours, Melanius of Rennes and Eustochius of Angers,
who objected to Breton bishops about women distributing the Eucharistic
elements:--
"Through a report made by the venerable Sparatus, we have learned that
you continually carry around from one of your fellow-countrymen's huts
to another, certain tables upon which you celebrate the divine sacrifice
of the Mass, assisted by women who you call conhospitae; and while you
dristribute the eucharist, they take the chalice and administer the
blood of Christ to the people. This is an innovation, an unheard of
superstition. For the love of Christ, and in the name of the Church
United and our common faith, we beg you to renounce immediately upon
receipt of this leter, these abuses of the table. We appeal to your
charity, not only to restrain these little women from staining the holy
sacraments by administering them illicitly, but also not to admit to
live under your roof any woman who is not your grandmother, your mother,
your sister, or your niece"
Fr Ambrose
|