Why aren't women allowed to be priests?

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Fair enough.

The matter is closed and has been definitively taught.

(I don’t mean that this thread is closed–not that I have the power to declare it so. 😉 I simply mean that while we can and ought to discuss amongst ourselves, Catholics are not free to declare that women’s ordination is legit.)
Right. But, as it has not been taught infallibly, theologically this issue deserves further exploration and discussion.
 
And again, I think you misunderstand ‘infallibility’. Infallibility is NOT limited to the Pope making an ex-cathedra statement.
Of course not. I understand infallibility. What’s your point? Where has the Church taught, infallibly, on this topic? Nowhere. If you disagree, please provide a reference. Thank you.
 
But any kind of ‘deacon’ position for women would not involve Holy Orders. That IS definite. A ‘deaconess’ position would be considered to have the same relation to the male diaconate as a nun has to a priest. A nun is a religious but does not receive Holy Orders. A priest does. A deacon also receives Orders. A woman who was a ‘deacon’ (just like a nun in professing her vows) would not receive Orders.
The diaconate is part of Holy Orders, according to Catholic teaching.
 
In other words, without consummation there is no marriage.
That is incorrect.

“A man and a woman are truly married as soon as they commit themselves to each other by vow before God—not when the marriage is consummated.” source

and

“Thus, any valid marriage between two baptized people is a sacramental marriage and, once consummated, cannot be dissolved.” source
 
No, it isn’t.

He did, in fact, use the phrase “I declare” - which seems to signify that he intended to speak infallibly.
“Seems” is exactly right. That’s why the issue is not closed regarding whether or not it’s taught infallibly. Thank you for confirming my point. Read Canon Law. There’s no “seems” in Canon Law.
 
Right. But, as it has not been taught infallibly, theologically this issue deserves further exploration and discussion.
Well, we are certainly free to discuss it here on CAFs. But the matter has been definitively proclaimed.

As a Catholic you cannot advocate women’s ordination. All doubt has been removed.
 
Wow - never noticed that Canon before :o

I can’t imagine it ever being put into practice though - it’s not like there’s ever an emergency situation where marriges MUST be solemnised within a particular timeframe, unlike, say baptism which sometimes must be performed in circumstances where there is a danger of death.
It’s often put into practice at parishes that have a pastoral administrator.
 
Well, we are certainly free to discuss it here on CAFs. But the matter has been definitively proclaimed.

As a Catholic you cannot advocate women’s ordination. All doubt has been removed.
If all doubt has been removed, why was it not taught infallibly?
 
Why not? I just don’t seem to get it. I’ve never had it explained in a way that makes sense to me. Especially with the way the Church honors Mary and stuff. Any help? :confused:
Hi bibleguy,

Sr. Sara Butler (who was a former supporter of WO) has written several articles and a book on this. The book is available online, and the articles are published in various magazines. I actually feel the articles are somewhat clearer especially when she writes for a more academic audience. Pm me if you would like some of them.

The issue is not an easy one to understand, but there is also the additional factor that many (though not all) of the advocates of WO call into question other elements of Church teaching reacgarding the Eucharist and the nature of priestly ministry. Within their frameworks therefore, WO seems to work very well, but within the framework used by the Church, it poses problems.
 
Can you enlarge on why an ordained priest can consecrate the bread and wine?

I don’t disagree with you. I just don’t think I could explain it.
Because to consecrate is to offer a sacrifice of bread and wine. Only a priest can offer a sacrifice. Even in the Old Testament. Take the case of Melkizedek. He only appeared in a short part of the Bible, its like he came out of nowhere and disappeared to nowhere. His only role in the Old Testament was to offer Abraham’s sacrifice.

Offering sacrifice is a priestly duty, therefore only a priest can consecrate the bread and wine. On top of that, this is granted to them by virtue of the Sacrament of Holy Orders. Once elevated to the level of a Presbyter, they are not only able to offer the sacrifice, but their hands are also consecrated to be able to consecrate the bread and wine.
 
Wow - never noticed that Canon before :o

I can’t imagine it ever being put into practice though - it’s not like there’s ever an emergency situation where marriges MUST be solemnised within a particular timeframe, unlike, say baptism which sometimes must be performed in circumstances where there is a danger of death.
Its probably in use for mission areas where lay missionaries would Baptize and Marry the natives until a church can be established and a priest is sent to the area. Baptism also has a clause in Canon Law that lay persons cannot licitly baptized except in cases of necessity. However, should a bishop, priest or deacon not be present, a Catechist may be designated as a minister of Baptism. A missionary is a Catechist. So I figure these two Canons go hand-in-hand for mission areas. We who live in big cities may never see such circumstances, but somewhere in the world today it definitely happens.

Its possible because the minister for Baptism is any person, even an atheist or heretic. For marriage, the ministers are the groom and bride, not the priest. So you do not need a priest technically to have a valid Sacramental marriage. All you need is a witness of the Church, which ordinarily is an ordained man. However, there is provision for that to be a layperson, and it could be a woman, possibly a missionary.
 
Its probably in use for mission areas where lay missionaries would Baptize and Marry the natives until a church can be established and a priest is sent to the area. Baptism also has a clause in Canon Law that lay persons cannot licitly baptized except in cases of necessity. However, should a bishop, priest or deacon not be present, a Catechist may be designated as a minister of Baptism. A missionary is a Catechist. So I figure these two Canons go hand-in-hand for mission areas. We who live in big cities may never see such circumstances, but somewhere in the world today it definitely happens.

Its possible because the minister for Baptism is any person, even an atheist or heretic. For marriage, the ministers are the groom and bride, not the priest. So you do not need a priest technically to have a valid Sacramental marriage. All you need is a witness of the Church, which ordinarily is an ordained man. However, there is provision for that to be a layperson, and it could be a woman, possibly a missionary.
Again, I understand the need for a lay missionary woman in a remote area to be able to baptise - emergencies arise where baptism needs to be done quickly. I don’t understand the need for a lay missionary to be able to perform marriages.

My own grandparents lived in a remote area in WWII, if memory serves they ended up not being able to get a priest to marry them for about three years. There was no talk of deputising anyone else to do it, for the simple reason that they didn’t NEED to be married right away. No-one does. 🤷
 
Why does it need to be taught infallibly if all doubt has been removed?
If all doubt was intended to be removed, why not teach it infallibly?

My point is that is has not been taught infallibly. So while it’s binding, definitive, etc…there is room for development and further understanding, while those teachings that HAVE been taught infallibly do not admit the same.
 
My understanding is that the reason the Levitical priesthood was male was because Adam, who was the one who broke fellowship with God through sin (Eve’s sin did not, in and of itself, do this - it was not until Adam also partook with her in sin that the bond was broken) was male.

Because it was the male who broke the bond, it is the male who must restore it, by means of sacrifices for sins, and by means of the priesthood. Thus, only males could become priests (even Deborah, though she was a Judge and a warrior, was never a priest) - and thus, Jesus, being born a Son, became the second Adam, to undo what was done by the first Adam, and following that, the Christian priesthood is also males only.

Women have other, equally important work to do in God’s kingdom - not least, giving birth to new members of it, and training them up to worship God in holiness and in truth. 🙂
Interesting, does this idea has any Christian reference?
 
Interesting, does this idea has any Christian reference?
I believe there is a Catholic theologian who has written on this topic. I wish I knew who it was as I would love to get my hands on their work.

Maybe someone here can end my quest. 👍
 
If all doubt was intended to be removed, why not teach it infallibly?
Because all doubt has been removed. 🤷
My point is that is has not been taught infallibly. So while it’s binding, definitive, etc…there is room for development and further understanding, while those teachings that HAVE been taught infallibly do not admit the same.
Can you please cite your source that says that teachings that have been taught infallibly (please also cite an example of a statement you consider infallible) do not have room for development and further understanding.

Thanks!
 
I don’t disagree with what you are stating. There has to be a commitment given in front of the Church but without consummation there is no sacrament. It is this very reason that a one night stand is a sacrilege.
For two baptized persons who are in no way impeded from marriage, the sacrament is conferred with the mutual exchange of vows. That remains a valid, sacramental marriage even if it is never consummated. (Prior impotence, of course, would be an impediment to marriage. The couple must have at least the ability to complete the marital act.) Consummation of the marriage makes it indissoluble except by death, but the sacrament along with its graces occurs with the mutual public consent.

A one night-stand, or any sort of fornication, is a lie, in that the body professes a union which the heart does not intend to keep.

But I’m surprised at the ongoing discussion of women’s ordination. It simply cannot happen, and the pope has said as much.
 
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