Female Chaplain?

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Can a female be a Catholic chaplain? Not as a priest (obviously) but as a pastoral worker with a degree in theology plus the Army’s required post-grad?
 
freddo said:
Can a female be a Catholic chaplain? Not as a priest (obviously) but as a pastoral worker with a degree in theology plus the Army’s required post-grad?
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If you are refering to a Military Chaplain, then No. The Archdiocese of the Military will only appoint a priest as a Catholic Chaplain. The Chaplaincy Corp will defer to the Archdiocese in such matters related to who can, or cannot be a minister to a faith group and only commission such persons.
 
I’ve known two Catholic hospice chaplains who were women and a hospital chaplain who was a Sister of Providence. .
 
FickleFreckled said:
I’ve known two Catholic hospice chaplains who were women and a hospital chaplain who was a Sister of Providence. .
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And these groups that name them chaplains do not follow the Code of Canon Law nor do they require or request the bishop’s approval in naming them such.

They a filling a job role of chaplain not a true ministerial role of chaplain as defined by the Catholic Church. For them it is a job, for a priest it is a part of his vocation.

From the Code of Canon Law;

Can. 564 A chaplain is a priest to whom is entrusted in a stable manner the pastoral care, at least in part, of some community or special group of Christ’s faithful, to be exercised in accordance with universal and particular law.

The section this Canon is found in contains other things covering Chaplains.
 
I remember going to Church in Berkeley once. They had a lay woman read the Gospel and give a homily. I had not seen this before or since. Her homily wasa stinging inditement of Pope Benedict XVI. I did not go back toChurch there again.
 
I think the original question was whether a woman could be a Catholic chaplain…not ordained, but as a pastoral worker with a degree in theology…

There was no question about whether she could be ordained, or in what circumstances she could work, only whether she could be a chaplain. With regard to the military, apparently no. With regard to healthcare, yes. There are female chaplains who provide spiritual support. If there were lots of priests running around who could fill the need, that would be perfect. But there aren’t, and the need is great. And I would hesitate to say that it isn’t a vocation, ByzCath.
A vocation is a call from God, but not necessarily to a vowed religious state. Who’s to say these women don’t have ‘vocations’ to this work?
It certainly hasn’t just been a job for them.
 
ByzCath,
I think we’re getting hung up by terminology. “Catholic chaplain” doesn’t necessarily mean “ordained.” It means the person is a Catholic, a Minister of Communion and a healthcare chaplain. Their capabilities with Catholic patients are limited and they also function as chaplains with non-Catholics. And they most certainly may get a call from God to function in that capacity.
 
FickleFreckled said:
ByzCath,
I think we’re getting hung up by terminology. “Catholic chaplain” doesn’t necessarily mean “ordained.” It means the person is a Catholic, a Minister of Communion and a healthcare chaplain. Their capabilities with Catholic patients are limited and they also function as chaplains with non-Catholics. And they most certainly may get a call from God to function in that capacity.
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But as a Catholic we must admit that Chaplain is a ministry filled by the ordained. Those institutions do not follow this and chose to call people chaplains are not the same thing, it is a job.

The vocation that they have may be in the care they give and what they do in the job but we can not call them being a Chaplain a vocation as that is not what the Church teaches. They may be called to function in that capacity but they are not called to be Chaplains. God does not work against His Church.

The title Chaplain is reserved for the ordained as appointed by the competent authority, which is usually the local bishop.
 
I see what you’re saying, BizCath, I just don’t agree. The Church doesn’t tell God what to do, who to call or how. I think it works the other way around. I hope you’re not saying that God doesn’t call women vocationally to minister spiritually to people, to talk about God, to pray with or for those who are ill, preparing for surgery or dying. I’m not a proponent of women in the priesthood for a variety of reasons, but women are wonderful spiritual supporters, especially when nurture and comfort is what’s needed. And again, I’m not talking about “Catholic chaplains”, assigned by a diocese. I’m talking about female chaplains who are Catholic. Different emphasis. However, there have been sisters assigned by their healthcare orders to function as chaplains and who are obedient to a local bishop. In fact, the one I knew was in Archbishop Laveda’s diocese, a pretty conservative guy who now has Pope Benedict’s old job.
 
FickleFreckled said:
I see what you’re saying, BizCath, I just don’t agree. The Church doesn’t tell God what to do, who to call or how. I think it works the other way around. I hope you’re not saying that God doesn’t call women vocationally to minister spiritually to people, to talk about God, to pray with or for those who are ill, preparing for surgery or dying. I’m not a proponent of women in the priesthood for a variety of reasons, but women are wonderful spiritual supporters, especially when nurture and comfort is what’s needed. And again, I’m not talking about “Catholic chaplains”, assigned by a diocese. I’m talking about female chaplains who are Catholic. Different emphasis. However, there have been sisters assigned by their healthcare orders to function as chaplains and who are obedient to a local bishop. In fact, the one I knew was in Archbishop Laveda’s diocese, a pretty conservative guy who now has Pope Benedict’s old job.
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Part of being a Catholic Chaplain is the ability to offer the Sacraments.

I am not saying that women are not called in the way you mention. I am saying that they are not called to ordination and as ordination is part of being a Catholic Chaplain they are not called to that either.

Those who operate in the job of chaplain are not called to the ministry of Catholic Chaplain as, I said before, there is more to being a Catholic Chaplain than you have stated and that is offering the Sacraments.
 
Ok, ByzCath, can we just agree we’re talking about two different things? I didn’t read the OP’s question the way you did. The two female hospice chaplains I knew had theology degrees from a Catholic university, one was a Ph.D. That’s why they were hired since there are no priests available for those kinds of positions. Priests still have to be called for Viaticum and other sacramental needs outside routine bringing of Communion.
 
Hello All!

I work in University Chaplaincy as part of a team comprised of several priests and myself, a young laywomen. My title is Assistant Chaplain and it’s always a lottery as to how to introduce myself, it’s a little like when students here who are studying something really wierd have to introduce themselves to fellow students, you never know what reaction you are going to get!

My role is obviously different to the priest Chaplains, if it weren’t then there would be little point in my appointment. I’ve never met a female Chapalin who is champing at the bit to be ordained, we have something distinctive to offer as part of a team.
In regard vocation, this is how my own baptismal vocation is currently working itself out, it’s a way of life…jobs usually pay better!lol!

Titles are important and maybe it would be my lot to “operate in the job of chaplain” without being “called to the ministry of Catholic Chaplain”. I ask prayers that I (and many like me) may at least operate well!
Pax.
 
Good for you, LecLec! May you do an outstanding job with God’s help.
 
Thank you for the answers and the interesting discussion! I hope that nobody thought I was trying to be controversial and/or circumvent the male priesthood. I find it interesting that chaplains in America are all priests; in Australia they have females who are pastoral ministers also serving as chaplains.
military.catholic.org.au/become.htm

Thanks again, everybody! 🙂
 
freddo said:
Thank you for the answers and the interesting discussion! I hope that nobody thought I was trying to be controversial and/or circumvent the male priesthood. I find it interesting that chaplains in America are all priests; in Australia they have females who are pastoral ministers also serving as chaplains.
military.catholic.org.au/become.htm

Thanks again, everybody! 🙂
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Not all chaplains in the US are priests. All Catholic Chaplains, the world over, are priests following the Code of Canon Law.

I think the issue here is the position of chaplain in an institution out side of the purview of the local bishop, that is institutions that he does not control and do not wish to listen to him.

I am also happy to hear from LecLec that there are female chaplains out there not pushing for the ordination of priestesses. The couple that I have met are.
 
ByzCath said:
Not all chaplains in the US are priests. All Catholic Chaplains, the world over, are priests following the Code of Canon Law.

I think the issue here is the position of chaplain in an institution out side of the purview of the local bishop, that is institutions that he does not control and do not wish to listen to him.

I am also happy to hear from LecLec that there are female chaplains out there not pushing for the ordination of priestesses. The couple that I have met are.
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Not too long ago, maybe three years or so, the Vatican issued a directive that at Catholic institutions, hospitals and colleges women may not be given or use the title chaplain. The title is reserved for ordained ministers.

The reason for the directive was that many Catholic institutions hired women to act in that capacity.

I know of a Franciscan hospital in the Seattle area that hired a Protestant woman, gave her the title chaplain and had her work with the dying. She has held the title for years. I do not know if the Franciscans reasigned her after the directive from Rome. She left her husband and children to live with her lesbian lover. The Franciscans had no problem with this.
 
It seems like there are a number of negative expereinces that people have either had or heard about regarding female Chaplains. This is a shame and I know from experience that these can give rise to a whole host of assumptions and judgements about women employed by the Church to work in Chaplaincy.

Don’t forget that this picture isn’t universal, we do have our part to play. My ideal model (especially when working with students and young people) includes a balance of gender, age and experience working together as a team. This can provide a very powerful witness to the people that you serve and to each other (in what is often a very lonely and stressful minstry).
It’s not easy, but I would encourage anyone out there who feels drawn to Chaplaincy not to be put off by their own and other peoples assumptions. “If you are what you should be, you will set the whole world ablaze”.
 
ByzCath said:
Not all chaplains in the US are priests. All Catholic Chaplains, the world over, are priests following the Code of Canon Law.

I think the issue here is the position of chaplain in an institution out side of the purview of the local bishop, that is institutions that he does not control and do not wish to listen to him.

I am also happy to hear from LecLec that there are female chaplains out there not pushing for the ordination of priestesses. The couple that I have met are.
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I apologise for being unclear…I was referring specifically to Catholics serving in the US military as chaplains being priests. For the Australian military, the (Catholic) bishop of the diocese will give ‘approval’ (not sure of the exact word) for (Catholic) women to serve as chaplains. So there are Catholic women serving as Catholic chaplains in the Australian military. I would guess that the actual title is outside of the control of the church or they would be called something different since that directive came from Rome.
 
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