What is the reasoning for slow change?

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I can see your point Tis_Bearself. I’m not claiming any expertise. I’m simply asking a question and soliciting the opinions of others. I’m not claiming that I’m right or wrong, simply provoking thought with a question.
 
Ordaining women to be priests is not a “small and modest change,” to say nothing of the fact that the Church has already repeatedly ruled that it can’t be done.

-Fr ACEGC
 
From the 1960s until now, there have been a lot of changes which could be called modernization.
Some can argue that many haven’t been for the good.
Your question seems to show you are not aware of how very different the church looks today from when Padre Pio served mass just a few decades back.
 
Awardables said:
But my question is more of a “why?” Meaning, humanity in general has never really responded well to “the heavy hand” and don’t you think that if the Church wants to continue to grow and continue to flourish that they have to in some way adapt? Taking it out of context, if the Church were a business, essentially they would be a business that didn’t listen to it’s “customers” and what happens, eventually, to a business that doesn’t listen to it’s customers? It goes out of business.
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As others have said, the Church does not keep up with society or modern times. If it did it would constantly be changing and going back and forth on it’s theology. It would lose more of it’s credibility that way.

God is not in our timeline. He is the same yesterday, today and tomorrow. It is we who change to meet God and His Church, not the other way around.
 
Awardables said:
But as my title suggests, what is the rationale or reason behind the slowness or resistance of the Catholic Church to change this “rule” to keep up with modern society?
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It’s not a rule.

Disciplines (rules) promulgated via the laws of the Church— ecclesial laws— are free to change any time. That is up to the Pope and/or Bishops.

Doctrines cannot change. They are divinely revealed by God and are part of the deposit of faith.

Your chosen topic— women priests— falls under doctrine, not discipline. It is not “slow to change”. It is “not possible to change”.
 
This response was very helpful in answering my original question. I now understand it. 1ke, thank you for this explanation.
 
Awardables said:
But as my title suggests, what is the rationale or reason behind the slowness or resistance of the Catholic Church to change this “rule” to keep up with modern society
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There is a difference between “rules” and “doctrine” & “dogma”.

Fast an hour before receiving the Eucharist = rule (that has exceptions)

Married men ordained as priests = rule (that has exceptions)

Christ is fully God and fully man = dogma, unchanging

Male only priesthood = dogma, unchanging.
Awardables said:
this topic is a universally agreed to thought of positive change, just one example of what one might think is a good idea.
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It is also a good idea is for human beings to have wings so they can fly under their own power. This would eliminate so much pollution, poverty, it is staggering to think of what a great idea this is.

Problem, human beings cannot grow even non-functional wings.
 
I think what’s being said, at least with respect to the concept of women as priests, is that things don’t change, as that is a mandate from God. That being the case, there is no debate regarding the edict.

At least that is my understanding of what was said in this chain.
 
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What’s being said is the Church is not opposed to change, but that some things, such as women priests, cannot change.
 
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Well, yeah. We exist as a Church to serve God and do His will. Everything else is beside the point.

If Jesus had wanted woman priests, He would have set up His mother Mary as one. So obviously, that was not His plan.

I think I trust God Incarnate to know what He is doing, and to set up things the way He liked.
 
Awardables said:
When you speak with day-2-day Catholics, there seems to be a consensus for some modernization and appropriate change to the Catholic Church. As an example, allowing women to be Priests. I’m not suggesting that, this topic is a universally agreed to thought of positive change, just one example of what one might think is a good idea.
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Slow Change? No. No Change wrt women priests. .

It’s already been decided that women can never become priests in The Catholic Church
 
Awardables said:
When you speak with day-2-day Catholics, there seems to be a consensus for some modernization and appropriate change to the Catholic Church. As an example, allowing women to be Priests. I’m not suggesting that, this topic is a universally agreed to thought of positive change, just one example of what one might think is a good idea.

But as my title suggests, what is the rationale or reason behind the slowness or resistance of the Catholic Church to change this “rule” to keep up with modern society?
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The Church can actually change quite fast if it wants to. It made a number of very rapid changes in the 1960s. And in the 1500s. And in the late 300s.

But depending on the subject it might not be interested in change, or capable. Priestesses of a religion weren’t an oddity in the Roman Empire but succession of the Apostles was only male, and the priests that bishops ordained were only male. This goes back to the beginning with Jesus and even further back to the priesthood that came from Aaron, the companion of Moses. It wasn’t based on what was viable or not viable in the culture. The ministry of the clerical priesthood is linked with fatherhood, and women can’t be fathers.

Wedding same sex couples is also an impossibility. It doesn’t matter if the culture has shifted because cultures shift all the time.
 
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So how do things change?

Is it like changing any kind of law … someones writes that needs or should change, then they vote on it?
 
Awardables said:
When you speak with day-2-day Catholics, there seems to be a consensus for some modernization and appropriate change to the Catholic Churc
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I find that there is ample change occuring… let me explain… When I was young in the 1980’s Catholic church, it lacked programs of engagement aside from knights of columbus in the USA. That said… I have prodigally returned to faith this past 2019 quarter, and it appears to be a forward going change… thus, there are no programs being conducted in my local parish and other parishes called “Dynamic Catholic”… and “that man is you”… and other parishes similar… these programs allow and make time for males to connect with males that have otherwise been greatly missing in my awareness…

I say this, as in times past, it may have seemed heretical, blashpemous, or otherwise imprudent to engage others on the meaning of faith in ones life, or discuss the personal relationship to jesus christ as lord and savior of ones life, and how that impacts ones world views and social consequence on friends, etc…

I think for me, this is huge, as it relates to modernizing…

of course protestantism is nothing new by now… adn there are both good valid points as to what martin luther called out in the 95 theses … like the theocratic path the Roman Catholic church evolved into and the the corruption of indulgences, or not being able to sing in church… etc… there was, imho, some rather rank wrong … and there is , imho, still some pretty ranks wrongs in both catholic and protestant churches for sure… as there is in societies in general… and families, and just as there is sin in me… per se. hence even the more I happen to choose to lean into Christ in the Catholic faith, rosaries, adoration, examination of conscience, confession, penance, contrition, mass , communion, and keep trying…etc… so that is something I wouldn’t hold any illusions about… i am suggesting my way of viewing faith is accurate or making and assumptions toward all doom gloom, nor all rainbow unicorns… just provoking a response to the good question asked
 
annad347 said:
So how do things change?

Is it like changing any kind of law … someones writes that needs or should change, then they vote on it?
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Locally, parishes have quite a bit of autonomy in how things are run at the parish and how the different ministries in the parish operate.

On the next level up, the diocese has some level of autonomy for making changes throughout the diocese. In the United States, there is also the USCCB (United States Catholic Conference of Bishops) which helps the Church throughout the country be more cohesive and organized.

Parishes and dioceses have committees like any other organization that help to bring up issues and discuss them. The bishop has the final say.

And then the Bishop of Rome (the Pope) has the most authority. When they called a major council of bishops in 1962 they used that opportunity to make a lot of changes to the Mass and to other procedures.
 
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If the church were to change to keep up with modern times, morals and philosophies, she wouldn’t be the church. Rather than being a beacon of light leading to the truth of Christ, she would simply be another modern societal construct that is at the mercy of whatever is popular at the time. The truth of Christ is something that does not change. The way to Christ is something that has not changed and will not change. The church must maintain these truths at all costs.
 
annad347 said:
So how do things change?

Is it like changing any kind of law … someones writes that needs or should change, then they vote on it?
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“Things” do not necessarily Have to Change…
The Magisterium slowly evolves…
Pope can author Encyclicals. and tweek the Catechism.
It is only at the Rare Councils, all Bishops along with the Pope Votes…
Rarer is when the Pope alone speaks ex cathedra - infallibly on Faith and Morals
 
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