The First Presidency's announcement on June 9, 1978, that all worthy male members may be ordained to the priesthood prompted positive reactions from members of the Church, as well as from people of other faiths throughout the world.
Few events of the Church in this century have received such widespread publicity. The revelation was announced in the form of a letter to priesthood leaders, and news of the statement spread quickly from Church headquarters in Salt Lake City to major news outlets across the nation and the world.The Church's Public Communications office (now Public Affairs) released the statement to the news media on June 9. The office received hundreds of telephone calls from interested parties throughout the world. All major television networks featured the announcement on that day's news programs. The story of the revelation was the lead item on the NCB Nightly News that evening. Time and Newsweek magazines held up deadlines in order to get a report in their upcoming issues. The New York Times, Washington Post and Los Angeles Times carried the story on their front pages, as did many other major newspapers. News media representatives from Canada, England and several other countries called with requests for more information.
News of the revelation was received with joy throughout the Church. Numerous stake presidents, bishops and other priesthood leaders expressed to the Church News their pleasure and optimism about the opportunities that could come to all Church members since the priesthood could be conferred upon all worthy male members.
The Church News of June 17, 1978, pages 3-6, carried reports about responses to the announcement of the revelation on the priesthood.
