In the end, 29 recommendations were made and divided into 218 separate items. Many of the suggestions were viewed as radical, "Among them were recommendations for returning laicized priests to the ministry, the ordination of married men and of women, lay preachers, freedom to practice contraception, an open attitude toward homosexuality, and reception of communion by divorced and remarried Catholics. The recommendations of a social and political nature included ones supporting amnesty for Vietnam war resisters and for undocumented immigrants... a recommendation backing the proposed Equal Rights Amendment to the Constitution". The NCCB/USCC received the recommendations with thanks but many bishops were unhappy with the results and they were relegated to a committee to oversee their implementation, which shelved them. The fruitless outcome of the conference ended any efforts of Dearden to work for a full National Pastoral Council.