Cincy archbishop bans nun from teaching

CINCINNATI (AP) — The archbishop of the Cincinnati Archdiocese has banned a nun from teaching at parishes and institutions because she supports the ordination of women as priests.

Church officials said today that Archbishop Daniel Pilarczyk made the decision after Sister of Charity Louise Akers refused to publicly renounce her support for a position the Vatican considers a violation of church teaching.

Akers has taught in the archdiocese for 40 years. She says she refused to renounce her support of women priests as a matter of conscience.

Archdiocese spokesman Dan Andriacco says that the church principle is that someone teaching in the name of the church should be in accord with its teachings.

Erin Saiz Hanna, executive of the Women’s Ordination Conference, described the teaching ban as bullying.