Female Priests

[down_under]

that is one of the most ‘modern’ interpretations i have ever heard… and falls way out of line with the above ancient, Jesus didn’t ordain it, mentality. Interesting how theology can always spin the ball to land the way it wants to

actually that is at least a little older then you think C. S. lewis made a similar argument about how you can have priestesses, but that they would not be in a christian religion because of the male God Jesus Christ. In history there have been female priests, but they were always of female Gods.

 

[down_under]

The human race has advanced so much (physcially and mentally) that I think the notion of women and men having separate roles to play in life is not accurate anymore. True, biology holds that the woman must carry the baby (for now at least–I could see some technological advance coming along to allow men’s bodies to harbor babies). But really, what does biology have to do with women becoming priests?

I never really questioned this aspect of Catholicism before, being a cradle Catholic. But lately I’ve been trying to figure out a logical way to tell my daughter (if she ever asks) why she isn’t allowed to become a priest. It breaks my heart to think that she might get the impression that women are somehow less capable than men because the Catholic Church deems it so. What else will she start thinking she shouldn’t do in life? I don’t want to raise my daughter in a faith that tolerates such pettiness. And why, for what? Just because it’s tradition and that’s how it’s always been?

Tell her they are equal but different. They play different roles it is as simple as that. She can tell that men and women are different. And no my dear if technology comes up with some way for men to carry children it still wont nutrealize the difference between the sexes. Men cannot conceive children and we will never be able to . man gives the seed women recieves the seed. That is just the way it is.

 

[down_under]

St. Lucy, I can understand some of what you’re saying. But I don’t see know women priests are going to jeopardize humanity. It’s not as if the role of a priest depends upon his malehood–unless you go by sacred tradition, which I think is outdated and unnecessary on this issue.

If sacred tradition is outdated and unnecessary on this issue then it is outdated and unnecessary on a lot of issues and all of a sudden we know next to nothing about christ the nature of salvation or even ourselves. This is a rediculious position if you want to be a female priest or just want to be in a church that has them become anglican and see if you like it. Because that is exactly what you are talking about doing to the cathloic church and it does not seem to have helped them much.

 

[vern_humphrey]

If sacred tradition is outdated and unnecessary on this issue then it is outdated and unnecessary on a lot of issues and all of a sudden we know next to nothing about christ the nature of salvation or even ourselves. This is a rediculious position if you want to be a female priest or just want to be in a church that has them become anglican and see if you like it. Because that is exactly what you are talking about doing to the cathloic church and it does not seem to have helped them much.

We can see how in our lifetimes the Episcopal Church in America has committed ecclestical suicide by chasing Poltical Correctness.

I am reminded of Mark Twain’s account of his stage coach being caught by darkness. The conductor got off and walked in front with a lantern. And the conductor fell into a hole – "The lantern following him like a meteor. To the driver, he cried, “Don’t come this way!” And the driver replied, “Think I’m a d–d fool?”

 

[Greg27]

I know the current societal climate demands equality for women in all areas of life, including in religion. It is true in the past women were unfairly degraded in some ways by the church, but also in other ways women have been respected and revered in the Church. The church pays a lot of honour to Mary for example, and also many women have been canonised as saints and some also as Doctors of the Church, including Teresa of Avila and Terese of Lisieux. The church also does not teach that lay women cannot pursue secular professions equal to men (i.e. women doctors, lawyers, scientists, philosophers, theologians and so on).

The Church’s tradition of male-only priesthood might seem archaic, but also if the church abandoned every tradition to accomodate itself to the norms of society at the time, I think the Church would become extinct. Human beings need a certain continuity in terms of tradition and heritage from our past, which is why one of my favourite areas of study has been History.

The magesterium has contemplated this social demand for women priests and decided it is not appropriate for the Church. Other churches outside Catholicism have decided otherwise, such as the Anglicans.

 

[Curious]

To me, the comeback of “yes, but men can’t have babies” is both condescending and lame.

You have the priesthood, a profession that is noble, that takes ability, dedication, and intelligence. When women wonder why they can’t be priests, please don’t pat them on the head and say, “Now, now…there’s lots of things women can do that men can’t. You can have babies!!”

It takes effort and talent to be a priest. It takes being born with a womb to have a baby.

If the situation were reversed, how would you men like to have the answer…“Now, now…there’s lots of things men can do that we can’t!! You can pee standing up!!”

 

[Mannyfit75]

I read that is no hope of women ever becoming priests in the Catholic Church because it is considered a sacred tradition for only men to be priests. I am not really understanding priesthood should be a male-only club. Can someone please clarify the reasons for this? Or point me to some valid readings?

The reason behind the male only priest is centered in Jesus Christ. Jesus is a Jew, and he did not came to abolish the law but to fullfill it. In the Old Testament, Levite priest were all men. With this in mind, Jesus established a male only priesthood, with him as a High Priest.

He also appointed Twelve Apostles all male. Also in the Male priesthood, the priest is symbolic married to the Church because the become like Christ.

In a way, the priest are married to the Bride of the Lamb. In the consecration, the priest act in the Person of Christ.

So if you put women in the priesthood. It invalid the sacraments. The priest could no longer act in the person of Christ because the one consecrating is a woman.

Women priesthood would be liken to homosexual marriage since the priest is married to Bride, the Church, which we often addressed as Mother Church.

These are the reasons why there can never be woman priesthood. The Church under the guidance of the Holy Spirit is cannot allow women priesthood. This is part of Tradition, unchanging.