Why can't women be priests?

  • Thread starter Thread starter Jade
  • Start date Start date
Status
Not open for further replies.
J

Jade

Guest
Hello!

I was wondering if you could help me with a question. Why can women not be ordained priests within the Catholic Church? I have heard many conflicting points of view regarding this issue ranging from “the church is traditional and old fasioned and does not favor equality” to " the sacrifice of Holy Mass was instituted by Christ, who was a man and the High Priest, and so it is only though a man according to Sacred Tradition that the rite to say Mass is given to."

If you could help me answer this question, it would be greatly appreciated. Thank you for your time!
 
The reason that women cannot be priests is that the Church does not have the authority to ordain women. In his apostolic letter Ordinatio Sacerdotalis Pope John Paul II declared “that the Church has no authority whatsoever to confer priestly ordination on women”.

Some of the reasons cited include:
  1. The example recorded in the Sacred Scriptures of Christ choosing his Apostles only from among men
  2. The constant practice of the Church, which has imitated Christ in choosing only men
  3. [The Church’s] 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
For more details see:
Inter Insigiores
Women and the Priesthood
 
Status
Not open for further replies.
Back
Top