Why can't girls be priests?

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LovelyLadybug

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How come girls aren’t allowed to become priests? I know other religions have female priestesses and there are protestant female ministers. Girls can be altar servers, but why not priests? Any thoughts on this? Thanks!!! 🙂
 
Other religions are not relevant to this issue.

Before we go into the specific arguments, what do you think the specific origins, roles, and purposes of priests and bishops are?
 
They say mass, hear confessions, and perform sacraments. 🙂
 
The priest often does a couple of these things In Persona Christi. Since the Church does not condone transgenderism, only a male priest could fulfill this role. A priest is considered by some to be “married to the church,” which explains priestly celibacy. The Church is often referred to as “she” or “her.” The Church does not condone same-sex unions, so there can be no female priest to be “married to the Church.” Note that Jesus picked twelve disciples, and they were all male. We all know Jesus wasn’t sexist, so He must have had His reasons for this. These are my thoughts on this, though there are more reasons, possibly better than the ones I posted here. Hopefully this makes sense.
 
It makes perfect, sense, thanks!!! Yous summed that up perfectly!!! 🙂
 
That’s certainly what they do, but is it all? More importantly is it why?

For instance, at points in the Sacraments, priests have to act in persona Christi (as the person of Christ). After all, the body and blood comes from Christ and the words of Consecration are specifically Christ’s words. When the priest says “this is my body” he is not referring to his (the priest’s) body he is referring to His (Christ’s) body.

Edit: Looks like @Dougbro1 beat me to it.
 
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I’ll add that the Church is often referred to as her because she is The Bride of Christ. Though the Word of God is not male or female, Christ’s relationship to the Church is distinctly one of a man towards a woman. That’s not done for His benefit but for ours and it is meant to reveal something of His nature to us.
 
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LovelyLadybug said:
How come girls aren’t allowed to become priests? I know other religions have female priestesses and there are protestant female ministers. Girls can be altar servers, but why not priests? Any thoughts on this? Thanks!!! 🙂
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Background questions:
do you believe that human beings are a unity of body and soul, and that no part of human nature is disposable?
Do you believe that Jesus Christ was incarnate at a specific time in history, and has a body unique to him, rather than merely consisting of a “spirit”?
 
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LovelyLadybug said:
there are protestant female ministers
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I’ll add to the points already made that most Protestant denominations I know of who ordain women, mine included, do not think that the minister acts in persona Christi when administering a sacrament. This does change the perspective quite a bit.

It probably is another kettle of fish for the Anglicans, though.
 
Yes, I believe that human beings are a unity of body and soul and yes, I believe about Jesus as well. 🙂
 
Then if you believe that Christ is a male human, and that human nature, or human qualities, are indispensable… does that human material have any meaning or significance? Christ is Jewish, he is male, he lives in first century middle east, etc…has a mother and a father and a culture he is born into. All of those things have meaning and significance that can’t be discarded.
When he asks others to follow him in a unique way, is that limited to only spiritual considerations, or is a person asked to follow with his/her whole self?
 
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A person should follow Jesus with their whole self, not just spiritual considerations. And, yes, they have meaning and significance. I just never understood why girls couldn’t be priests, but you guys explained that really well. 🙂
 
Cooties.
Sugar and spice is sticky.
What all those other people said.
 
And the other thing is we (culturally) tend to have distorted notions of power. We are suspicious of power and authority and are watching for abuse and exclusion. This is not a bad thing in proper measure. But the priesthood is not the exercise of position and power at the expense of others, it is the power of sacrificial service. And priests have a tough responsibility to live this calling.
 
Blimp said:
As always the discussion go to irrelevant divagations, instead of focusing on a simple answer. From Apostolic Letter Ordinatio Sacerdotalis Of John Paul II to the Bishops Of The Catholic Church on reserving Priestly Ordination to men alone:
  • the example recorded in the Sacred Scriptures of Christ choosing his Apostles only from among men
  • the constant practice of the Church, which has imitated Christ in choosing only men […]
  • […] and her living teaching authority which has consistently held that the exclusion of women from the priesthood is in accordance with God’s plan for his Church.
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That is doctrine.
Explanations that speak to people where they are, are effective for clearing up possible misconceptions that are barriers to doctrine.
“Because the Church says it is so” might be true, but it is not adequate evangelization, in fact appeals to authority frequently hinder evangelization.
 
Ummm, excuse me??? Sugar & Spice is SO much better than snips and snails and puppy dog tails and boy cooties are NOT the good kind. Enough said. 🙂
 
LovelyLadybug said:
How come girls aren’t allowed to become priests?
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It isn’t a rule, therefore to frame it as “not allowed” is inadequate.

It’s not possible for women to be priests. See Ordinatio Sacerdotalis, written by John Paul II to learn more.
 
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