Ordaining Female Catholic Priests

[Corki]

I grew up inside the Protestant church that had not only one woman minister but two therefore telling me that a woman is not qualified to be a priest is hogwash. Aside for listening to confession and the eurcharist, the job is the same across all denominations because as a minister, you are visiting the sick, preaching at least every sunday, guiding people individually in their faith, counselling, encouraging your congergation to follow Christ and more. This follows what women were created by God. Think about it, historically, they were teachers, nurses and raising a house full of children, that pretty much gives us the qualifications to do everything that a priest does. Seriously if religious sisters are allowed to do everything from spend their entire day praying to working in the streets helping the poor, we can certainly hear confession, give absolution, guide a congergation to God and more.

No offense but you got shortchanged in RCIA if this is what you believe about the priesthood. The “job” of a Catholic priest has very little resemblence to that of a Protestant minister. Many of the job duties you describe (you are visiting the sick, preaching outside of Mass, guiding people individually in their faith, counselling, encouraging your fellow Christians to follow Christ and more) can and are done by women in the Church. But the priesthood is different.

 

[Nicea325]

Woman have never been ordained priests in the Catholic Church and never will be. This is the Church’s declaration on the matter, in the words of John Paul the Great. A link to the full text and an excerpt follow:

vatican.va/holy_father/john_paul_ii/apost_letters/documents/hf_jp-ii_apl_22051994_ordinatio-sacerdotalis_en.html

QUOTE:
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.**END QUOTE (color added)

Jim Dandy

Amen brother!

 

[Jim_Dandy]

I grew up inside the Protestant church that had not only one woman minister but two therefore telling me that a woman is not qualified to be a priest is hogwash. Aside for listening to confession and the eurcharist, the job is the same across all denominations because as a minister, you are visiting the sick, preaching at least every sunday, guiding people individually in their faith, counselling, encouraging your congergation to follow Christ and more. This follows what women were created by God. Think about it, historically, they were teachers, nurses and raising a house full of children, that pretty much gives us the qualifications to do everything that a priest does. Seriously if religious sisters are allowed to do everything from spend their entire day praying to working in the streets helping the poor, we can certainly hear confession, give absolution, guide a congergation to God and more.

I’m sorry you were not better catechized before you became a Catholic Did you not ask this question regarding women priests during your RCIA classes? One has to publicly profess to believe in everything the One Holy Catholic and Apostolic Church teaches in order to become a Catholic. That means accepting her teaching regarding women priests.

Please read John Paul the Great’s words that I posted above in red. Do you accept the authority of the Church? .All Catholics must. Perhaps that’s a hard question for you (and others).

Jim Dandy

 

[barb_finnegan]

Woman have never been ordained priests in the Catholic Church and never will be. This is the Church’s declaration on the matter, in the words of John Paul the Great. A link to the full text and an excerpt follow:

vatican.va/holy_father/john_paul_ii/apost_letters/documents/hf_jp-ii_apl_22051994_ordinatio-sacerdotalis_en.html

QUOTE:
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.**END QUOTE (color added)

Jim Dandy

DOUBLE AMEN, BROTHER!

I wish that these ‘females’ would go to the Episcopalian church-they got plenty of priestesses, even bishopesses. They’d be right at home there.

What part of NO don’t they understand? THERE WILL BE NO PRIESTESSES IN THE CATHOLIC CHURCH! NOT NOW, NOT EVER, NEVER!!!

 

[vsedriver]

I grew up inside the Protestant church that had not only one woman minister but two therefore telling me that a woman is not qualified to be a priest is hogwash.

They used grape juice instead of wine but that didn’t make it the Eucharist. Grape juice isn’t wine and women aren’t men. One is suitable for the sacrament and one isn’t. Holy Orders is a male only sacrament instituted by Christ.

 

[Bezant]

Do women have the spiritual fortitude, humility, generosity, and intellect required of priests? Yes. Can they lead and organize the needs of the parish? Of course, as the lady clergy in Protestant communities prove; I would know, I was baptized by one.

The question is not whether women are as capable of men in priestly capacity. Obviously, they are capable.

My opinion is that a female priesthood would add absolutely no benefit for the Church. If women would only do what men have done in the Church all along, what’s worth breaking the old tradition of a male priesthood? Yes, there were female deaconnesses and clergy up until a millenia ago; but even back then the clergy was predominantly male, and church leadership has always been male. The Apostles were all men; I don’t for second believe that Christ selected only men because of societal constaints – you don’t have to read even the entire Gospel to see how he regarded societal constraints.

I don’t see the most convincing arguments in favour of a female priesthood justifying a break in that tradition. If we break it, what’s next?

 

[Annabelle_Marie]

I grew up inside the Protestant church that had not only one woman minister but two therefore telling me that a woman is not qualified to be a priest is hogwash. Aside for listening to confession and the eurcharist, the job is the same across all denominations because as a minister, you are visiting the sick, preaching at least every sunday, guiding people individually in their faith, counselling, encouraging your congergation to follow Christ and more. This follows what women were created by God. Think about it, historically, they were teachers, nurses and raising a house full of children, that pretty much gives us the qualifications to do everything that a priest does. Seriously if religious sisters are allowed to do everything from spend their entire day praying to working in the streets helping the poor, we can certainly hear confession, give absolution, guide a congergation to God and more.

It’s not that we are not qualified…we could probably do a better job. But, the difference between the Catholic Church and other religions is that a priest at times is a STAND IN for Christ. That is why when you go to reconciliation…it’s Christ that really meets you there…not the priest. And Christ was male…simple as that.

Now to me there is no reason that women can’t be altar servers, lectors, EMHC’s and the like…but simply not priests.

 

[Eutychus123]

Do women have the spiritual fortitude, humility, generosity, and intellect required of priests? Yes. Can they lead and organize the needs of the parish? Of course, as the lady clergy in Protestant communities prove; I would know, I was baptized by one.

The question is not whether women are as capable of men in priestly capacity. Obviously, they are capable.

My opinion is that a female priesthood would add absolutely no benefit for the Church. If women would only do what men have done in the Church all along, what’s worth breaking the old tradition of a male priesthood? Yes, there were female deaconnesses and clergy up until a millenia ago; but even back then the clergy was predominantly male, and church leadership has always been male. The Apostles were all men; I don’t for second believe that Christ selected only men because of societal constaints – you don’t have to read even the entire Gospel to see how he regarded societal constraints.

I don’t see the most convincing arguments in favour of a female priesthood justifying a break in that tradition. If we break it, what’s next?

Well said! If you break with a male only priesthood, you will start down that slippery slope that the liberal Protestant churches have taken, to a bad end.

 

[KathleenGee]

About the Pope John Paul II placing conservative bishops, etc. in place.

The issue was about orthodoxy. We were living in a time when it was all about finding yourself and feelings and not being up tight, when sin was no longer sin, and we were breaking up even more into marginalized, localized and cliquey churches.

 

[masuwerte]

FWIW, one reason I remain Episcopalian, in spite of all the problems the Episcopal Church is having, is that I honestly believe that women constitute proper matter for ordination. If I didn’t, I’d probably leave and join one of those continuing Anglican groups, one that uses the liturgy from the 1928 BCP.

 

[Tantum_ergo]

I grew up inside the Protestant church that had not only one woman minister but two therefore telling me that a woman is not qualified to be a priest is hogwash. Aside for listening to confession and the eurcharist, the job is the same across all denominations because as a minister, you are visiting the sick, preaching at least every sunday, guiding people individually in their faith, counselling, encouraging your congergation to follow Christ and more. This follows what women were created by God. Think about it, historically, they were teachers, nurses and raising a house full of children, that pretty much gives us the qualifications to do everything that a priest does. Seriously if religious sisters are allowed to do everything from spend their entire day praying to working in the streets helping the poor, we can certainly hear confession, give absolution, guide a congergation to God and more.

No, we (women) can’t, because the priesthood is not about what he DOES but about who he IS. Men aren’t women and women aren’t men, and it isn’t about doing ‘roles’ but about God’s judgment.

I know you’re new but I would have HOPED your RCIA person would have told you the Church has DEFINITIVELY and INFALLIBLY judged it has no authority to ordain women. If you were (unfortunately) misled by a well-meaning but badly informed person, that’s a pity. It is not about equality and ‘power’. Male priesthood is as much a necessity as wheat bread and wine for the Eucharist and water for Baptism. They cannot–they WILL not–be changed.

 

[Erich]

it still baffles me at times why a person who is so outrightly and adamently opposed to Catholic teaching wants to remain Catholic

Or why a person who is so outrightly and adamantly opposed to Catholic teaching would promise obedience to the person responsible for upholding that teaching in the first place (i.e. the bishop and his successor).

 

[hn160]

Well said! If you break with a male only priesthood, you will start down that slippery slope that the liberal Protestant churches have taken, to a bad end.

Amen to what you posted, I seen that happen in the ELCA.

 

[TrueLight]

I grew up inside the Protestant church that had not only one woman minister but two therefore telling me that a woman is not qualified to be a priest is hogwash. Aside for listening to confession and the eurcharist, the job is the same across all denominations because as a minister, you are visiting the sick, preaching at least every sunday, guiding people individually in their faith, counselling, encouraging your congergation to follow Christ and more. This follows what women were created by God. Think about it, historically, they were teachers, nurses and raising a house full of children, that pretty much gives us the qualifications to do everything that a priest does. Seriously if religious sisters are allowed to do everything from spend their entire day praying to working in the streets helping the poor, we can certainly hear confession, give absolution, guide a congergation to God and more.

Did you really not know that the Catholic Church no way, no how supports ordination of women before you entered the Church, or did you stay quiet about it so you could become Catholic?

 

[Telstar]

[34]
Let women keep silence in the churches: for it is not permitted them to speak, but to be subject, as also the law saith. [35] But if they would learn any thing, let them ask their husbands at home. For it is a shame for a woman to speak in the church.

I don’t know about anyone else, but when I look up at the Priest on the altar, I have very little problem in thinking of him as representing Jesus. I just can’t imagine trying to do that if there was a woman standing there, instead of a man. The Priest represents Jesus. A woman can never do that, I don’t care how impressive her knowledge and theological degrees might be. Women and men are different. God made them that way on purpose. We have our own special roles in life, and it’s not our prerogative to try to change them, no matter how ‘noble’ we think our intentions might be. Radical feminism has no place in Catholicism. JMHO

PS: Just in case anyone is wondering, I’m a woman.

 

[exnihilo]

I grew up inside the Protestant church that had not only one woman minister but two therefore telling me that a woman is not qualified to be a priest is hogwash. Aside for listening to confession and the eurcharist, the job is the same across all denominations because as a minister, you are visiting the sick, preaching at least every sunday, guiding people individually in their faith, counselling, encouraging your congergation to follow Christ and more. This follows what women were created by God. Think about it, historically, they were teachers, nurses and raising a house full of children, that pretty much gives us the qualifications to do everything that a priest does. Seriously if religious sisters are allowed to do everything from spend their entire day praying to working in the streets helping the poor, we can certainly hear confession, give absolution, guide a congergation to God and more.

Woman can in some ways do what is required, but that does not mean they are optimal. An older child can help raise younger siblings if a parent dies but this would not be as good as the natural order of having two parents.

There are many obvious differences between the sexes. To assume that these differences might not as a rule make men better priests is without warrant. The denominations that have allowed women pastors have not experienced great growth as a result of this supposedly liberating decision. In fact they are all in decline.

 

[Wesley7]

I would never ordain a female priestess. The Catholic Church in N.America needs to return back to doctrinal orthodoxy.

 

[Jim_Dandy]

FWIW, one reason I remain Episcopalian, in spite of all the problems the Episcopal Church is having, is that I honestly believe that women constitute proper matter for ordination. If I didn’t, I’d probably leave and join one of those continuing Anglican groups, one that uses the liturgy from the 1928 BCP.

I don’t wish to offend, but it is irrelevant (except to adherents) what gender a person is in the clergy of the Episcopal/Ang;ican, Lutheran, Baptist, Methodist, or any Protestant ecclesial community.

Only in the ancient Catholic and Orthodox churches where the priest is ordained in Apostolic Succession and acts in *Persona Christi * (the person of Christ). and images Christ, is it essential that the clergy be male. There is no danger that women will ever be ordained by the ancient Apostolic Churches.

A Catholic priest’s bride is the Church. The Church is opposed to homosexual marriage..

Jim Dandy

 

[KathleenGee]

One diocese I lived in…the priest got up and told us how the nuns were blaspheming the holy priesthood at a meeting. The nuns wanting to be priests even wanted to stop daily Mass. Some of them were on the seminary board, which was turning away good men.

They don’t want to be spiritual mothers; and if they became spiritual father, they would not feed their children their Daily Bread.

Yes, we want ‘conservative’ bishops, and John Paul II did what he had to do.

 

[Jim_Dandy]

Why is this subject even being discussed? John Paul the Great wrote:

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.

Roma locuta est;** Roma finita est. Rome has spoken**; the case is closed.

Jim Dandy