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Montie_Claunch
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Is there being no Female Priests a Dogma or Discipline? And Why is it that way? Thanks and God bless.
For the same reason there are no Male Priestesses perhaps?Is there being no Female Priests a Dogma or Discipline? And Why is it that way? Thanks and God bless.
Therefore it is infallibly defines and is doctrine, no disipline.Quote:
In 1994, Pope John Paul II formally declared that the Church does not have the power to ordain women. He stated, “Although the teaching that priestly ordination is to be reserved to men alone has been preserved by the constant and universal Tradition of the Church and firmly taught by the magisterium in its more recent documents, at the present time in some places it is nonetheless considered still open to debate, or the Church’s judgment that women are not to be admitted to ordination is considered to have a merely disciplinary force. Wherefore, in order that all doubt may be removed regarding a matter of great importance, a matter that pertains to the Church’s divine constitution itself, in virtue of my ministry of confirming the brethren (cf. Luke 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” (Ordinatio Sacerdotalis 4).
In 1995, the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith, in conjunction with the pope, ruled that this teaching “requires definitive assent, since, founded on the written word of God, and from the beginning constantly preserved and applied in the Tradition of the Church, it has been set forth infallibly by the ordinary and universal magisterium (cf. Lumen Gentium 25:2)” (Response of Oct. 25, 1995).
Not Again! Asked and answered hundreds of times already. If you sincerely want the answers to this question, do a search for previous threads, otherwise seeing why the Church teaches this one more time isn’t going help understand it any better.Is there being no Female Priests a Dogma or Discipline? And Why is it that way? .
It is an infallible, immutable teaching that is to be held by all the faithful. It is called in Catholic dogmatic theology, “doctrines de fide tenenda” or “sententia definitive tenenda” which all the Catholic faithful are to assent to, and that “assent is based on faith in the Holy Spirit’s assistance to the Magisterium and on the Catholic doctrine of the infallibility of the Magisterium” (Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger, *Doctrinal Commentary on Ad Tuendam Fidem). *In his doctrinal commentary on Ad Tuendam Fidem, Cardinal Ratzinger explicitly states:Is there being no Female Priests a Dogma or Discipline? And Why is it that way? Thanks and God bless.
] can be of various natures, thus giving different qualities to their relationship with revelation. There are truths which are necessarily connected with revelation by virtue of an historic relationship; while other truths evince a *logical connection *that expresses a stage in the maturation of understanding of revelation which the Church is called to undertake. The fact that these doctrines may not be proposed as formally revealed, insofar as they add to the data of faith elements that are not revealed or which are not yet expressly recognized as such, in no way diminishes their definitive character, which is required at least by their intrinsic connection with revealed truth. Moreover, it cannot be excluded that at a certain point in dogmatic development, the understanding of the realities and the words of the deposit of faith can progress in the life of the Church, and the Magisterium may proclaim some of these doctrines as also dogmas of divine and catholic faith.Such doctrines can be defined solemnly by the Roman pontiff when he speaks “ex cathedra” or by the college of bishops gathered in council, or they can be taught infallibly by the ordinary and universal Magisterium of the Church as a “sententia definitive tenenda”. Every believer, therefore, is required to give firm and definitive assent to these truths, based on faith in the Holy Spirit’s assistance to the Church’s Magisterium and on the Catholic doctrine of the infallibility of the Magisterium in these matters. Whoever denies these truths would be in the position of rejecting a truth of Catholic doctrine and would therefore no longer be in full communion with the Catholic Church.
- The second proposition of the professio fidei states: “I also firmly accept and hold each and everything definitively proposed by the Church regarding teaching on faith and morals”. The object taught by this formula includes all those teachings belonging to the dogmatic or moral area which are necessary for faithfully keeping and expoinding the deposit of faith, even if they have not been proposed by the Magisterium of the Church as formally revealed.
- The truths belonging to this second paragraph [of the http://www.ewtn.com/library/CURIA/cdfoath.htm”]professio fidei
The above explains the nature of the teachings which include doctrines de fide tenenda. That the teaching of Ordinatio Sacerdotalis is among doctrines de fide tenenda is explicitly cited by Cardinal Ratzinger in the same commentary…(ibid.)
- The Magisterium of the Church, however, teaches a doctrine to be* believed as divinely revealed* … or to be held definitively … with an act which is either defining or nondefining. In the case of a defining act, a truth is solemnly defined by an *ex cathedra *pronouncement by the Roman pontiff or by the action of an ecumenical council. In the case of a nondefining act, a doctrine is taught infallibly by the ordinary and universal Magisterium of the bishops dispersed throughout the world who are in communion with the successor of Peter. Such a doctrine can be confirmed or reaffirmed by the Roman pontiff, even without recourse to a solemn definition, by declaring explicitly that it belongs to the teaching of the ordinary and universal Magisterium, as a truth that is divinely revealed … or as a truth of Catholic doctrine… Consequently, when there has not been a judgment on a doctrine in the solemn form of a definition, but this doctrine, belonging to the inheritance of the depositum fidei, is taught by the ordinary and universal Magisterium,which necessarily includes the pope, such a doctrine is to be understood as having been set forth infallibly. The declaration of confirmation or reaffirmation by the Roman pontiff in this case is not a new dogmatic definition, but a formal attestation of a truth already possessed and infallibly transmitted by the Church.
Examples. Without any intention of completeness…,
With respect to the truths of the second paragraph, with reference to those connected with revelation by logical necessity, one can consider … the more recent teaching regarding the doctrine that priestly ordination is reserved only to men. The Supreme Pontiff, while not wishing to proceed to a dogmatic definition, intended to reaffirm that this doctrine is to be held definitively, since, founded on the written Word of God, constantly preserved and applied in the Tradition of the Church, **it has been set forth infallibly by the ordinary and universal Magisterium. **(ibid.)
Jesus (God) empowered only men for ordination but I guess you know better than God.Call me a bad Catholic, but I disagree on this one. I think women should at least be allowed to be deacons. I go to a Catholic college and I meet a lot of “independent” young women. I met a girl who expressed her deep sadness and frustration at the fact that she can not be a deacon. She wants to serve the Church, but is drawn to the fact that if she became a Methodist or an Episcopalian this would not be a problem.
The problem is this person in question is very educated and has strong leadership potential. I am scared that we are not getting enough men for the priesthood but at the same time alienating women. I understand fully that she could become a nun, and there are a lot of “other ministries” she could be a part of. Or Mary is a great example, but as a women you are not good enough to give a sermon. Eventually we will have to face facts when it comes to the numbers. How many priests can we bring in from the global south? Do you really think we are going to reverse the cultural trend of the attitude toward celibacy? I would become a priest tomorrow if I could get married. I understand PJPII teaching on this matter and disagree with him.
I understand that this post may cause a little controversy. I understand the label “cafeteria”, and that I may not be “catholic” according to some of the disgusting and unloving legalism that is posted on this site sometimes, Jesus would be embarrassed. Maybe that I somehow misunderstand, or don’t submit to the authority of the Church could be true and am open to changing my opinion on this matter.
Exactly the kind of response I would expect. At first I was very excited about finding Catholic Answers, as sometimes I couldn’t escape the evangelical environment of my peers. Now having spent a year on this forum I have never been more disappointed with my faith. Not with the questions I ask, as sometimes they include heresy and I’ve been known to speak out against orthodoxy. I am guilty of rude comments too on this forum, but this is not the Catholicism I know. All I see in my life is a history of very loving people who took me in as family, who were Catholic. On this site I see the opposite of that.Jesus (God) empowered only men for ordination but I guess you know better than God.
I don’t know if it’s a dogma or a doctrine, but I do know there is no commandment from the Lord for female priests. The Church has spoke on this: ewtn.com/library/CURIA/cdfattordwom.HTMIs there being no Female Priests a Dogma or Discipline? And Why is it that way? Thanks and God bless.
Unfortunately, people are fallible creatures and can be rude. You’ll find that on any webblog or just in normal conversation. I daresay you’ll find it more so than perhaps 30 or 40 years ago, too. It’s not that it’s because it’s a Catholic website. I think that because this issue has been discussed so much, despite the Church’s decree, that some people may be tired of arguing about it.Exactly the kind of response I would expect. At first I was very excited about finding Catholic Answers, as sometimes I couldn’t escape the evangelical environment of my peers. Now having spent a year on this forum I have never been more disappointed with my faith. Not with the questions I ask, as sometimes they include heresy and I’ve been known to speak out against orthodoxy. I am guilty of rude comments too on this forum, but this is not the Catholicism I know. All I see in my life is a history of very loving people who took me in as family, who were Catholic. On this site I see the opposite of that.