Posted by C at 6:18am Mar 29 '06First...
Women's roles in the Church are vital, but one of those roles is not the priesthood. Pope John Paul II spoke ex cathedra in "Ordinatio Sacerdotalis" declaring the issue closed forever. There will NEVER be female priests in the Roman Catholic Church. He made a point to do this while saying and doing little or nothing about the perpetrators of egregious wrongs in the sexual scandals abuse cases. There was something seriously wrong with Pope John Paul II's priorities.
The fact that the former Cardinal of Boston Archdiocese was moved to Rome, given a plum position and large salary even after his complicity in the priestly sexual abuse scandal speaks volumes of the deficiencies inherent in a close parochial system.
And of course it's impossible to know if a woman Cardinal would have treated the sexual abuse scandal differently. Neither can we know how much good they could bring to the Church as Bishops and Cardinals if it never comes to pass because of "Ordinatio Sacerdotalis". I cannot image any damage that might come should a woman become a cardinal or priest.
What a shame that the potential is there never to be explored.
What is it about a man that makes him qualified to be a priest and not a woman? Does a man qualify because he has a penis and a woman disqualifies because she has a womb?
What is it that is SO DIFFERENT about a man that only he can be a priest? What could it be that makes a man so unlike in nature and form from a woman? Are we only talking about the physiological plumbing?
Priests do many things. They preach, they counsel, they study theology, the teach, they administer sacraments, they do missionary work, they raise money for the church, they speak out about injustices, they guide people, they lead prayer, they are spiritual, they spread the message of Christ and many many more things. There are thousands of women who are more than qualified to do all these.
"Anything I have done, you can do, and even greater things than these you shall do.", When Christ said that, he was speaking to everyone. His message of equality is being distorted by the rules of the Roman Catholic Church. Christ was about fairness. Christ kicked the money changers out of the temple, not because conducting business in the temple was wrong, but because the business they were conducting was UNFAIR. They were charging exorbitant fees to the common man. Sort of like selling water at $25.00 a gallon after a hurricane. Christ's message was about fairness.
There is nothing FAIR denying a woman an important role in the Catholic Church as a Priest, Bishop or Cardinal if she so aspires to be in this role.
And because the Pope says something ex cathedra in "Ordinatio Sacredotalis" does that give it more credence to it than if he explained it in plain Italian, French or English? It borders on being pretentious. "I know Latin and you don't so I'm smarter than you, and what I say is more important!"
Ok, enough ranting from me :)
Discuss.
"Wherefore, in order that all doubt may be removed regarding a matter of great importance, a matter which pertains to the Church's divine constitution itself, in virtue of my ministry of confirming the brethren (cf. Lk 22:32) I declare that the Church has no authority whatsoever to confer priestly ordination on women and that this judgment is to be definitively held by all the Church's faithful."
- Pope John Paul II, May 22, 1994 - Apostolic LetterWomen's roles in the Church are vital, but one of those roles is not the priesthood. Pope John Paul II spoke ex cathedra in "Ordinatio Sacerdotalis" declaring the issue closed forever. There will NEVER be female priests in the Roman Catholic Church. He made a point to do this while saying and doing little or nothing about the perpetrators of egregious wrongs in the sexual scandals abuse cases. There was something seriously wrong with Pope John Paul II's priorities.
The fact that the former Cardinal of Boston Archdiocese was moved to Rome, given a plum position and large salary even after his complicity in the priestly sexual abuse scandal speaks volumes of the deficiencies inherent in a close parochial system.
And of course it's impossible to know if a woman Cardinal would have treated the sexual abuse scandal differently. Neither can we know how much good they could bring to the Church as Bishops and Cardinals if it never comes to pass because of "Ordinatio Sacerdotalis". I cannot image any damage that might come should a woman become a cardinal or priest.
What a shame that the potential is there never to be explored.
What is it about a man that makes him qualified to be a priest and not a woman? Does a man qualify because he has a penis and a woman disqualifies because she has a womb?
What is it that is SO DIFFERENT about a man that only he can be a priest? What could it be that makes a man so unlike in nature and form from a woman? Are we only talking about the physiological plumbing?
Priests do many things. They preach, they counsel, they study theology, the teach, they administer sacraments, they do missionary work, they raise money for the church, they speak out about injustices, they guide people, they lead prayer, they are spiritual, they spread the message of Christ and many many more things. There are thousands of women who are more than qualified to do all these.
"Anything I have done, you can do, and even greater things than these you shall do.", When Christ said that, he was speaking to everyone. His message of equality is being distorted by the rules of the Roman Catholic Church. Christ was about fairness. Christ kicked the money changers out of the temple, not because conducting business in the temple was wrong, but because the business they were conducting was UNFAIR. They were charging exorbitant fees to the common man. Sort of like selling water at $25.00 a gallon after a hurricane. Christ's message was about fairness.
There is nothing FAIR denying a woman an important role in the Catholic Church as a Priest, Bishop or Cardinal if she so aspires to be in this role.
And because the Pope says something ex cathedra in "Ordinatio Sacredotalis" does that give it more credence to it than if he explained it in plain Italian, French or English? It borders on being pretentious. "I know Latin and you don't so I'm smarter than you, and what I say is more important!"
Ok, enough ranting from me :)
Discuss.
added on 6:19am Mar 29 '06:
Please excuse the poor grammar and such... It was 5am here when I wrote that. I just get crazy when I'm bored.
Women Priests, Cardinals and Bishops!! - C