Pope's Swiss Guard may allow women after 500-year ban

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As long as they provide ample security and I’m sure they can. What are you trying to get at? The Catholic Church isn’t sexist. Maybe I’m taking this the wrong way.
 
I just thought it was interesting when I ran across it. If I were Catholic (and Swiss apparently :confused: ), I would think this was a really cool job (I mean…you get paid to wear a funky costume and hang out in Rome).

I think this thread could probably be deleted by the moderator if they so desired…someone else seems to have posted the same story before me. Sorry I didn’t notice it before.
 
Hypatia said:
I just thought it was interesting when I ran across it. If I were Catholic (and Swiss apparently :confused: ), I would think this was a really cool job (I mean…you get paid to wear a funky costume and hang out in Rome).
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Yes, you would have to be Catholic, but the Swiss citizenship deal may not be impossible. Apparently Swiss citizenship can be conferred by any Swiss commune, which is to say village, town or city. I know there have occasionally been Americans who belonged to the Swiss Guard. I’d bet anyone interested could get a Swiss municipality to help them join the Guard.

But one of the other requirements is that you have attended the Swiss military school. I’m not sure what that would entail. Here are what the Vatican requires to join the Swiss Guard:
vatican.va/roman_curia/swiss_guard/swissguard/ammissione_en.htm
One of the requirements is that an applicant be at least 174 cm tall, which is 5 foot, 8.5 inches. Perhaps they will change that if women are admitted?

Oh, and the official language of the Swiss Guard is Swiss German, but I guess you would have to be fluent in that anyways if you are going to the Swiss military school and asking a Swiss commune to give you citizenship. :o
 
I don’t think there will be too many takers because it is a very rigorous job…I doubt that most women could physically qualify…these are men that are on the level with our special forces
 
This is going to look like the Citadel experiment. Many women will apply. Some will pass their physicals. Few will be selected. A handful will make it through the training. Finally, there’s a 1% chance of a woman making it all the way to the end, and not changing her mind after she arrives there. These men, despite there non-intimidating appearance, are capable of defense that would make our Navy Seals proud. Women should not be disappointed if the numbers don’t add up. Most men cannot make the grade.

:knight1:
 
To bad, I’m not a Swiss. So I would still have no chance to join to Pope’s army. 😃
 
I think this is the Vatican succumbing to political correctness. There is no other reason I can see for doing this…Roanoker
 
You are maybe taking this article a bit too serious. What I can read there is just the private opinion of the commander. Nothing more.

Chrissi
 
ChrissiM said:
You are maybe taking this article a bit too serious. What I can read there is just the private opinion of the commander. Nothing more.
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Yes, it was simply an impromptu response to a question posed during a television interview. His answer was "“That could be possible. Personally, I can see them accomplishing certain tasks.” I doubt there are plans to allow women in.
 
Even if they do allow women to join, let’s remember that this is an army. They are not being ordained. The Vatican is a sovereign nation and like any other nation has the right to have women in its army if it so chooses.

Not so long ago, women could not be theologians or canon lawyers. Today they can be. Many do a wonderful job for the Church.

There are posts that have been held only by men, because that was the case when they were created, not because of any Church discipline, dogma or moral law.

The question of the uniform is rather simple. Like any other army, they would probably wear the same uniform as the men with some adaptations as we make for our women in the armed forces.

If anyone doubts about the power of women in the armed forces, just ask the Arabs and the Israelis. They have some of the best trained combat women around. The Swiss Guards are among the best trained military men in the world. I’ve seen them in action during large events at the Vatican. They are not security guards in funky uniforms. They’re tough.

Fraternally,

JR 🙂
 
JReducation said:
Even if they do allow women to join, let’s remember that this is an army. They are not being ordained. The Vatican is a sovereign nation and like any other nation has the right to have women in its army if it so chooses.

If anyone doubts about the power of women in the armed forces, just ask the Arabs and the Israelis. They have some of the best trained combat women around. The Swiss Guards are among the best trained military men in the world. I’ve seen them in action during large events at the Vatican. They are not security guards in funky uniforms. They’re tough.

Fraternally,

JR 🙂
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The Swiss Guards do perform a function similar to the Protective Services detail of the US Secret Service; i.e., they provide protection for foreign dignitaries while on Vatican soil or traveling with Vatican delegations. Given the growing number of heads-of-state or diplomats or “personal representatives” who are female, it would make sense to have at least some female Swiss Guards to assign to those protective details.

The Swiss Guards are tough. I’m one of those people who believe the remnants of the Knights Templar escaped to what is now Switzerland, which accounts for the Swiss expertise in banking. It also accounts for the strong military traditions in Switzerland. Lest anyone think that Switzerland is JUST the land of chocolate and coo-coo clocks, keep in mind that for centuries Swiss mercenaries were the most feared military in Europe. There is a reason why the 1815 Treaty of Vienna specifically forbade Switzerland from hiring out its soldiers as mercenaries and limited its army to defense only. The treaty, BTW, had a specific exemption for the Pope’s Swiss Guards.

I personally think that if Italy were invaded and the Vatican were to come under attack, if the odds against the Swiss Guards were 20-to-1, I’d still put my money on the Swiss Guards. Anything above 30-to-1 odds might be a little dicey: I’d still put my money on the Guards, just not as much. And I think a battle between the Swiss Guards and a similarly sized-and-equipped group of Rangers, Green Berets, and Seals would be something I’d pay good money to see.
 
roanoker said:
The power of political correctness.
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Yeah, I guess you wish we could continue suppressing half the world’s potential, but those pesky women keep trying to convince us they have some sort of rights to equality! Next thing you know, they’ll be able to vote. Wouldn’t that be quaint, but of course only if their men tell them which way to vote.
 
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