Why Can't Women Become Priests?

[FCEGM]

Aren’t we taught as Catholics that we are all “made in the image and likeness of Christ” Male and Female, made in the image and likeness of Christ. Meaning Christ is neither Female or Male, but is the I AM.

Your approach in essence undermines the very historicity of Jesus Who was a man and not a woman; but it also (within the realm of Catholic Christology) implies that the risen and eternal Christ either a) no longer possesses the male human nature He did on earth or b) The human nature that He possesses now is no longer an exclusively male human nature, but is an ultra-sexual human nature that is distinct and different from the male human nature that redeemed us on the Cross. Very scary area, that.

The Church is teaching that the difference between being a man or a woman goes to the heart of the Divinely-revealed Mystery of the Incarnation of God as a Man, or to put it in reverse, that the basic Mystery of the Incarnation is necessarily connected in fact with Our Lord choosing only men to be Apostles (as opposed to the ethnic difference of Jew/non-Jew) since the Twelve are to be icons or living images of this Man Jesusin being His priests. That distinction is not important for Baptism or Confirmation, but it is for Holy Orders.

In Baptism the question is incorporation into the Body of Christ affecting mainly the soul; in Confirmation, the strengthening of that grace of the Holy Spirit. (Galatians highlights the difference between the former Covenant with the Jews wherein the introductory and outward expression – circumcision – was available only for men; now in Christ the new circumcision, baptism, is available for all.) But the specific difference in Holy Orders is to be a visible sign of the Groom to the Bride, the Head to His Body, the Son to the Father, the Father to His children; and the Author of the world to come. That involves not just the soul but the body before the visible communion.

On the one hand: Did God incarnate as a Man because at that time in History a women would have been dismissed, stoned, considered illegitiment on an immediate basis?It truly has nothing to do with only a Man can do the job. God perfectly designed each and everyone of us, we have gifts and annointings. Why can’t we just appreciate this, accept this. Again, it has nothing to do with capabilites, comparisons, men are better than women. It all has to do with using who and what we are for a Divine Purpose. Sure, women could consecrate the Eucharist. It must not be a question of this. We need to shift our focus. Honor Women!

The Church does – and none moreso than the Blessed Virgin Mary.

All the Sacraments are sacred signs which bring the grace of Christ to us on the basis of their God-chosen symbolism, so that just as Christ chose water to be the element of our spiritual regeneration in Baptism, and oil for the strengthening of our spirit in the Anointing of the Sick and in Confirmation, so also He chose definite men to be His priests. (He also chose wheat bread and grape wine to be the Sacrament of the Eucharist). So just as it would be invalid for the Church to substitute unilaterally contrary to Christ’s specific choice oil for Baptism or water for the Eucharist, it is likewise invalid to substitute women for men to be priests. The divinely chosen symbolism would be broken and therefore the Sacraments would not operate since they wouldn’t be symbols of supernatural realities at all, but of some individual’s or limited culture’s idea of reality and not God’s.

God chose THIS woman, the Virgin Mary, to help Him bring the world’s Savior, and in this the Blessed Virgin represented all mankind accepting and cooperating with God’s initiative, and that is why she is a type of the Church. But in the Eucharist the priest symbolizes her Son bringing about our Redemption as First Cause of it and this redemption is a nuptial wedding covenant of the Groom (God) with the Bride (the Church) in addition to representing the Church before God and simultaneous with that. Thus the priest simultaneously represents the initiative of God and the cooperation of redeemed mankind. But Mary does not represent the former, but only the latter and that is why she was excluded from the Last Supper, as all women were, in which the Eucharist and Priesthood were established.

continued. . .

 

[FCEGM]

Thus Mary representing all cooperating redeemed humanity only was excluded from the ministerial priesthood on earth, all the more so all women. However, Mary is Queen of Apostles, Mother of the High Priest and thus of all priests, and in this she has the interior vocation of total self-offering in cooperation with Christ on the Cross in the highest way, and that is why she is Co-Redemptrix, and Co-Mediatrix of all grace. But the exterior vocation vis-à-visthe visible Church on earth of the ministerial priesthood bringing the Christ Mystery to us she did not have.

Thus it does not follow that a woman ought to be the visible instrument of the change of bread and wine into the Sacrament and Sacrifice of Christ in the Eucharist. This does not prevent, however, a woman, imitating the Blessed Mother, offering herself interiorly in cooperating with the visible offering of Christ’s Sacrifice on the altar. Moreover, it neither prevents a woman from surpassing in interior self-offering the visible priest’s own interior self-offering during the Sacrifice of the Mass, as a number of mystics, both men and women, can be presumed to have done while they were on earth.

Finally, in Heaven, no signs are needed and the hierarchy of men and angels will be manifest according to the reality alone; thus there, irrespective of earthly hierarchies, those will be higher who have the greater Charity, regardless of the natural differences between the sexes or, indeed, between angels and men.

Thousands upon thousands of years ago, a deceived and prideful woman told us that we are to be gods. Now, thousands of years later, more deceived and prideful women (and women seeking to be faithful, but who have succumbed to feminist theological blandishments) are still telling the very same story - a story that can only lead to the Church declaring itself to be God, and giving the real God His walking papers. This is what the feminists actually want anyway - even if they don’t know it yet.

Now when the Church tells us something is important and not superficial concerning a Sacrament of Jesus Christ, which is a matter of Redemption, we either believe her or we don’t; and if we don’t, on the basis of what don’t we believe her when we DO believe her regarding the Divinity of Christ, His redemptive Sacrifice and Resurrection, etc.? It can only be by preferring our own opinion or judgment to hers on a matter proclaimed as Revelation.

 

[Mickey]

b) if men are ontologically capable of the highest and most glorious office in the Church (offering the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass, which is after all the “source and summit of the Church’s life”) and women are not, then logically men are superior to women.

Thus those who approach the priesthood must approach it on God’s and His Church’s terms, not their own terms or those of a secular ideology such as Feminism. The feminists also distort the priesthood, by turning what should be a ministry of service and self- sacrifice into a position of power and prestige. A priest is a servant, not a master. Indeed, if a man treats his priesthood as a position of power and authority, he has perverted his calling and yielded to the temptation to the greatest sin of all, the sin of pride. Indeed, if the priesthood were a position of power, it would be an injustice to deny it to women. However, the priesthood is only one of many ministries and leadership positions within the Church.

The priest is not superior to the laity, but serves Christ by serving His people, the laity. Those not ordained are not inferior Christians, but are equal before God in every way. Some Feminist theologians argue that the Church began to oppress women because it perverted the original teachings of Christ by adopting the views of the secular society of that time towards women.
orthodoxytoday.org/articles4/MorrisFeminism.php

 

[Mickey]

…the most important argument against the ordination of women is the results of women’s ordination in those Christian groups who have surrendered to the pressure of secular society to ordain women. A priest is not simply a performer or leader; a priest is an image of Christ who in turn is an image of God. Thus, a priest is an icon or symbol of Christ, especially during the Divine Liturgy. Because symbols have real meaning, if the symbol is changed, that which is symbolized is also changed. Since a priest represents Christ, who is God, if the priest becomes a priestess, the image of God also changes. This will inevitably lead to a redefinition, or to use their term, “re-imaging” of God. Over fifty years ago, long before the birth of radical feminism and the movement to ordain women began, the British theologian C.S. Lewis wrote:
To us a priest is primarily a representative, a double representative, who represents us to God and God to us. Our eyes teach us this in church. Sometimes, the priest turns his back on us and faces the East – he speaks to God for us: sometimes he faces us and speaks to us for God. We have no objection to a woman doing the first; the whole difficulty is about the second.
But why? Why should a woman not in this sense represent God? Certainly not because she is necessarily, or even probably, less holy or less charitable or more stupid than a man. In that sense she may be as ‘Godlike’ as a man; and a given woman much more so than a given man. The sense in which she cannot represent God will perhaps be plainer if we look at the thing the other way around.
Suppose the reformer stops saying that a good woman may be like God and begins saying that God is like a good woman. Suppose he says that we might just as well pray to ‘Our Mother which art in heaven’ as to ‘Our Father.’ Suppose he suggests that the Incarnation might just as well have taken a female as a male form and the Second Person of the Trinity be as well called the Daughter as the Son. Suppose, finally, that the mystical marriage were reversed, that the Church were the Bridegroom and Christ the Bride. All this, as it seems to me, is involved in the claim that a woman can represent God as a priest does.
orthodoxytoday.org/articles4/MorrisFeminism.php

 

[Rand_Al_Thor]

Pax tecum!

Aren’t we taught as Catholics that we are all “made in the image and likeness of Christ” Male and Female, made in the image and likeness of Christ. Meaning Christ is neither Female or Male, but is the I AM.

On the one hand: **Did God incarnate as a Man because at that time in History a women would have been dismissed, stoned, considered illegitiment on an immediate basis?**It truly has nothing to do with only a Man can do the job. God perfectly designed each and everyone of us, we have gifts and annointings. Why can’t we just appreciate this, accept this. Again, it has nothing to do with capabilites, comparisons, men are better than women. It all has to do with using who and what we are for a Divine Purpose.

As opposed to Jesus being dismissed and crucified by the Jews? Why do people keep insisting that God the Almighty was influenced by the norms of human society? That is heresy.

Sure, women could consecrate the Eucharist. It must not be a question of this. We need to shift our focus. Honor Women!

No, women cannot consecrate the Eucharist…it seems you deny papal infallibility. And Catholics don’t honor women? What about Mary? The saints? Do we not honor them? But as to that statement, why should our focus shift from the Eucharist and honoring God to honoring women?

In Christ,
Rand

 

[jmcrae]

Why? Why is Jesus’ maleness so much more important than any of His other human attributes?

Edwin

Because He is the Second Adam - He does for the whole world what Adam failed to do for Eve - He gives His life for our sins.

Eve was never required to give her life for Adam, nor to make any sacrifices on his behalf, but Adam ought to (instead of biting the apple, or whatever it was that he did) have made reparation to God for Eve’s sin - the quality or character of Eve’s sin was personal - her sin did not doom human-kind to death. Adam’s role at that point was to have interceded for her with God.

His failure to do so, coupled with his participation in her sin, is what brought the penalty of death into the whole world.

What form his intercession would have taken remains unknown, but St. Paul tells us that a husband must love his wife even to the sacrificing of his own life.

Jesus, as the Second Adam, did sacrifice His life for “the Bride,” which is the Church - thus, Jesus did what Adam did not - He repairs what Adam broke.

Just as Mary’s “yes” to the Angel undid Eve’s “yes” to the Devil, so also, Christ’s obedience on the Cross undid Adam’s failure to intercede on Eve’s behalf - this is why so many of the Early Church Fathers referred to Mary as “the second Eve” and to Jesus as “the second Adam.”

 

[adrift]

Aren’t we taught as Catholics that we are all “made in the image and likeness of Christ” Male and Female, made in the image and likeness of Christ. Meaning Christ is neither Female or Male, but is the I AM.

Jesus the Christ is God incarnate. That means He has two natures one is God the other is a human. We are made in the image and likeness of God. Christ IS a man.

On the one hand: Did God incarnate as a Man because at that time in History a women would have been dismissed, stoned, considered illegitiment on an immediate basis?It truly has nothing to do with only a Man can do the job. God perfectly designed each and everyone of us, we have gifts and annointings. Why can’t we just appreciate this, accept this. Again, it has nothing to do with capabilites, comparisons, men are better than women. It all has to do with using who and what we are for a Divine Purpose. Sure, women could consecrate the Eucharist. It must not be a question of this. We need to shift our focus. Honor Women!

God has control of everything. He sees all so that if it was not important He could have chosen another time. NO women cannot consecrate the Eucharist because that is how God planned it and we should honor Him.

 

[Al_Masetti]

On the one hand: Did God incarnate as a Man because at that time in History a women would have been dismissed, stoned, considered illegitiment on an immediate basis?

Eternal Peace,
Lis

God is INFINITE,

As an exercise, meditate on God as Infinite. If you have a Perpetual Eucharistic Adoration chapel nearby, visit there and spend … an hour … before Jesus in the Monstrance. And think about Infinity.

God is not like us, only smarter.

God is infinite.

All things are possible with God.

On the other hand, we humans are extremely limited. For example, we need to use language to communicate and there are huge limitations when using language. As you can see from the backing and forthing in this thread.

And then we have “issues” with translations from one language to another. And from one culture to another.

God has no limitations.

 

[lrs]

I really really trully trully believe that all are created equal in God’s eyes.
Christ is fully present equally in and to all of us on this earth. Faith comes in if we choose to acknowledge, recognize, and humble accept the Will of God in our lives.
Having said that, consider the following:
1.brain surgeons were given the gift of intelligence to promote healing. God works thru the surgeons hands.
2. Priests were given the gift of fully being open to Christ’s mission on earth. This is a gift, an annointing.
3. A poor starving mother in Africa, was annointed with the will to survive and take care of her children. Again a gift.

The basic premise is and will always be: We are all created equal. Birth is always a miracle, a Gift from God.
Consider that you were born to certain parents in the wealthiest nation in the world, on this side of the planet, where opportunity and a responsibility to take care of those less fortunate than you is paramount. You were not born in Ethiopia, or India, or where people are starving and laying in the streets. Are you more special because God put you here and not there. No WAY!
It is about using the Gifts God has given you to be an obedient Steward to the Will of God. No matter who, what, where you are in your life.

WE ARE CREATED EQUAL-ONLY GIVEN DIFFERENT GIFTS.

Peace, Lisa

 

[lrs]

Pax tecum!

As opposed to Jesus being dismissed and crucified by the Jews? Why do people keep insisting that God the Almighty was influenced by the norms of human society? That is heresy.

No, women cannot consecrate the Eucharist…it seems you deny papal infallibility. And Catholics don’t honor women? What about Mary? The saints? Do we not honor them? But as to that statement, why should our focus shift from the Eucharist and honoring God to honoring women?

In Christ,
Rand

Sorry Rand,
Women are physically, mentally, emotionally, intellectually capable of being the vehicle by which Jesus enters the Eucharist. See my previous Posts on Mary.
My point is this: Do I feel that women should be priests.
NO, I do not- due to the fact that women are given an awesome annointing to be mothers and single women to be nurturers. IT is Natural. It is God-given. Are women Holy and Sacred Enough to consecrate the Eucharist- being we are all created equal in God’s eyes- YES women are Holy enough.
The exchange here must shift from are Women Holy enough- to God has given each and everyone of us annointings and gifts to serve as awesome stewards in this world.
IT should never ever be a question of or an explanation of Women are not Holy enough. THIS is what it means to Honor Women.
You must understand this: Some Catholics and NON catholics do not get this. Do not understand how “this day and age, how can it be that women are not good enough to be priests, and how is it women put up with this” BELIEVE IT. that thought is prevalent out there. We must combat that way of thinking, and it begins with we honor and accept the Sanctity of Women and their role in the world. This must be communicated more and more, because all people think is the Catholic Church does not allow women priests because women are inferior. Incapable of Spiritual Authority over men. This is a huge philosophy to combat. It is rooted in History- this way of thinking must change.
It is like a tunnel vision thought- most people want women to be priests because they believe the Catholic Church is not honoring women, in some way not believing they are good enough, that they are second class citizens. You have to address this, it is all some people see.

Peace,
LISA

 

[lrs]

Thousands upon thousands of years ago, a deceived and prideful woman told us that we are to be gods. Now, thousands of years later, more deceived and prideful women (and women seeking to be faithful, but who have succumbed to feminist theological blandishments) are still telling the very same story - a story that can only lead to the Church declaring itself to be God, and giving the real God His walking papers. This is what the feminists actually want anyway - even if they don’t know it yet.

Dear FCEGM-
I know that I am taking this out of context, and you are obviously quite intelligent, and have fully investigated all aspects of your faith, and I totally respect and can appreciate this. Having said that, this above Excerpt that you have written is truly absolutely ludicrous.
Number one: I am not a feminist, I do not adhere to feminist ideology, I am a child of God with the right to be treated equally and given equal consideration. Now, in humble service I yearn to do the work of the Lord, out here in the trenches so to speak.
No women, no so called feminist anywhere “want the real God to take his walking papers” What ever woman issues you may have, you may want to stop and consider all women are a child of God.
Sounds harsh , but you can not in any rational way make the above statement. That’s Nuts!

THis is the response I am sure you were asking, looking for.
Eternal Blessings and Peace,
Lisa

 

[lrs]

If you really really really truly truly believe all people are equal in the eyes of God, then try a couple of simple exercises.

1. Next time you drive past a hospital, go on in and perform some brain surgery.
2. Next time you fly on an airliner, announce that YOU will fly the plane instead of the airline pilot, because you are equal.

Similar exercises can be conducted with art (bring your paintings to the Louvre) or with writing (bring your work to one of the big publishing houses) or with language (visit the UN and tell them you can translate).

I really really trully trully believe that all are created equal in God’s eyes.
Christ is fully present equally in and to all of us on this earth. Faith comes in if we choose to acknowledge, recognize, and humbly accept the Will of God in our lives.
Having said that, consider the following:
1.brain surgeons were given the gift of intelligence to promote healing. God works thru the surgeons hands.
2. Priests were given the gift of fully being open to Christ’s mission on earth. This is a gift, an annointing.
3. A poor starving mother in Africa, was annointed with the will to survive and take care of her children. Again a gift.

The basic premise is and will always be: We are all created equal. Birth is always a miracle, a Gift from God.
Consider that you were born to certain parents in the wealthiest nation in the world, on this side of the planet, where opportunity and a responsibility to take care of those less fortunate than you is paramount. You were not born in Ethiopia, or India, or where people are starving and laying in the streets. Are you more special because God put you here and not there. No WAY!
It is about using the Gifts God has given you to be an obedient Steward to the Will of God. No matter who, what, where you are in your life.

WE ARE CREATED EQUAL-ONLY GIVEN DIFFERENT GIFTS.

Peace, Lisa

 

[FCEGM]

I really really trully trully believe that all are created equal in God’s eyes.
. . .[etc.]

It seems you are unable to make a distinction between the equality of dignity of each person and the hierarchy of ministry within the Church (Pope, Bishop, Priests, Religious Laity). Also, it seems that you - not unlike many non-Catholics - are uncomfortable with the understanding of anyone, including the Blessed Virgin Mary, Mother of the Divine Savior and hence Mother of God, being at an advantage - by God’s predilection - in the Trinitarian life. This discomfiture appears when there is a diminished understanding of what the grace flowing from Christ by the power of the Holy Spirit accomplishes in the faithful soul as he or she progresses (hopefully) in this Christ-life. A Catholic, on the other hand, knows that Mary’s participation in the life of the Trinity (a life to which we are all called) is of a higher “status” or “role” than ours or any of the Saints in heaven, canonized or not. The Catholic says, “Yes, this is what we have by grace and since these is what we have the Blessed and Ever-Virgin Mary - by grace - has it in spades!”

So if one is unable to make distinctions regarding holiness, it is no surprise that one is unable to make distinctions regarding the hierarchical nature of the Church and the ministries within her.

 

[lrs]

It seems you are unable to make a distinction between the equality of dignity of each person and the hierarchy of ministry within the Church (Pope, Bishop, Priests, Religious Laity). I completely and with out question accept the hierarchy in Ministry of the Catholic Church- I am looking thru spiritual lenses, not categorizing my acceptance of this hierarchy based on male and female. I do accept the TRINITY< Father (God creator), SON (Absolute Savior) and HOlY SPIRIT (HELPER/COMFORTER).

Also, it seems that you - not unlike many non-Catholics - are uncomfortable with the understanding of anyone, including the Blessed Virgin Mary, Mother of the Divine Savior and hence Mother of God, being at an advantage - by God’s predilection - in the Trinitarian life. This discomfiture appears when there is a diminished understanding of what the grace flowing from Christ by the power of the Holy Spirit accomplishes in the faithful soul as he or she progresses (hopefully) in this Christ-life. A Catholic, on the other hand, knows that Mary’s participation in the life of the Trinity (a life to which we are all called) is of a higher “status” or “role” than ours or any of the Saints in heaven, canonized or not. The Catholic says, “Yes, this is what we have by grace and since these is what we have the Blessed and Ever-Virgin Mary - by grace - has it in spades!”

I will always believe in Mary, Full of Grace, with out blemish, created with out the ability to sin. I will pray to Mary to help me be a better Mother. I will pray to Mary to show me how to take care of God’s Children. I will always honor the higher “status” of Mary. See, ironically, you and I believe the same things. We are just looking at the world with different colored lenses. Our life experiences shape our perceptions. My entire point is this: women and men are created equal. NOW, if this is the point where you and I differ then I do not see how this conversation can move forward.

So if one is unable to make distinctions regarding holiness, it is no surprise that one is unable to make distinctions regarding the hierarchical nature of the Church and the ministries within her.

Father, Son, Holy Spirit, Mother Mary, Angels and Saints all holier than I. BUT, we must work daily to be better to follow the examples of the Creator, the Redeemer, and The Blessed Mother
Peace, Lisa.

 

[Mickey]

Virtually every Protestant group that has decided to ordain women has to one degree or another begun to reject Biblical language and images of God in favor of images more acceptable to feminist theology.
Thus, God is no longer Father, Son and Holy Spirit, but becomes “Creator, Redeemer, and Sanctifier.” On the surface this may seem only a change of terms, but actually, it is much more. It represents a radically different way of looking at God. The new politically correct Trinity is a rejection of divinely revealed language about God and thereby a rejection of the divine inspiration of the Holy Scriptures. It is also heretical because it blurs the important distinction between the Father, Son and Holy Spirit. The Father also creates, redeems and sanctifies, but so does the Son and the Holy Spirit. In reality, the feminized Trinity is actually a form of the ancient heresy of Sabellianism, which portrays Father, Son and Holy Spirit as merely different phases of God rather than different but united persons.
orthodoxytoday.org/articles4/MorrisFeminism.php

 

[FCEGM]

I know that I am taking this out of context, and you are obviously quite intelligent, and have fully investigated all aspects of your faith, and I totally respect and can appreciate this. Having said that, this above Excerpt that you have written is truly absolutely ludicrous.
Number one: I am not a feminist, I do not adhere to feminist ideology, I am a child of God with the right to be treated equally and given equal consideration. Now, in humble service I yearn to do the work of the Lord, out here in the trenches so to speak.
No women, no so called feminist anywhere “want the real God to take his walking papers” . . .

Then I’m afraid you are very naive as to the intent of many feminists (including “Catholic” ones) who rail against the Church and its teaching regarding the priesthood. Read Donna Steichen’s books for a wake-up call.

What ever woman issues you may have, you may want to stop and consider all women are a child of God.

I never said, nor did I imply, that they aren’t. The only “woman issues” I have are to be a faithful Catholic one and to try to aid Catholic women who find themselves confused regarding the Church’s teaching on this and other subjects pertaining to the Faith.

Sounds harsh , but you can not in any rational way make the above statement. That’s Nuts!

No, what is “nuts” is to be so unaware of the desire to de-construct the Church to their own designs on the part of would-be “priestesses” and thus swallow unexamined and then regurgitate their standard cant about “equality”.

THis is the response I am sure you were asking, looking for.

I never expect any particular response, but hope springs eternal.

 

[FCEGM]

Virtually every Protestant group that has decided to ordain women has to one degree or another begun to reject Biblical language and images of God in favor of images more acceptable to feminist theology.
Thus, God is no longer Father, Son and Holy Spirit, but becomes “Creator, Redeemer, and Sanctifier.” On the surface this may seem only a change of terms, but actually, it is much more. It represents a radically different way of looking at God. The new politically correct Trinity is a rejection of divinely revealed language about God and thereby a rejection of the divine inspiration of the Holy Scriptures. It is also heretical because it blurs the important distinction between the Father, Son and Holy Spirit. The Father also creates, redeems and sanctifies, but so does the Son and the Holy Spirit. In reality, the feminized Trinity is actually a form of the ancient heresy of Sabellianism, which portrays Father, Son and Holy Spirit as merely different phases of God rather than different but united persons.
orthodoxytoday.org/articles4/MorrisFeminism.php

Yes, Mickey. You’ve got it in a nutshell.

 

[Rand_Al_Thor]

Sorry Rand,
Women are physically, mentally, emotionally, intellectually capable of being the vehicle by which Jesus enters the Eucharist. See my previous Posts on Mary.
My point is this: Do I feel that women should be priests.
NO, I do not- due to the fact that women are given an awesome annointing to be mothers and single women to be nurturers. IT is Natural. It is God-given. Are women Holy and Sacred Enough to consecrate the Eucharist- being we are all created equal in God’s eyes- YES women are Holy enough.
The exchange here must shift from are Women Holy enough- to God has given each and everyone of us annointings and gifts to serve as awesome stewards in this world.
IT should never ever be a question of or an explanation of Women are not Holy enough. THIS is what it means to Honor Women.
You must understand this: Some Catholics and NON catholics do not get this. Do not understand how “this day and age, how can it be that women are not good enough to be priests, and how is it women put up with this” BELIEVE IT. that thought is prevalent out there. We must combat that way of thinking, and it begins with we honor and accept the Sanctity of Women and their role in the world. This must be communicated more and more, because all people think is the Catholic Church does not allow women priests because women are inferior. Incapable of Spiritual Authority over men. This is a huge philosophy to combat. It is rooted in History- this way of thinking must change.
It is like a tunnel vision thought- most people want women to be priests because they believe the Catholic Church is not honoring women, in some way not believing they are good enough, that they are second class citizens. You have to address this, it is all some people see.

Peace,
LISA

Pax tecum!

No, women are NOT capable of ever consecrating the Eucharist. It has nothing to do with how “holy” someone is. It has to do soley with apostolic succession and valid orders, which women are simply not physically capable of recieving. I never said anything about men being holier than women; men simply serve a different purpose than women. But again, it has nothing to do with people being holier than others. I also never referred to women as second class citizens. Not once. I do not believe that they are. I know that many people think that is why the Church will not ordain women, and of course that’s not the case. But no, women are not capable of consecrating the Eucharist.

In Christ,
Rand

 

[Al_Masetti]

MERELY being equal doesn’t qualify anyone to do whatever they want to do.

Being equal ALONE doesn’t qualify someone to do something such as flying a plane or brain surgery or getting art accepted by the Louvre or getting a book published.

In every case, something EXTRA is needed to be qualified for brain surgery or flying a plane, etc.

It may be skill. It may be training. It may be talent. It may be all three. There may be other factors.

One of the factors to being a priest is following the succession of the Apostles who were all members of the male gender.

Jesus, God, the Son of God deliberately chose the 12 Apostles. He knew everything about them. EVERYTHING. He knew their imperfections. He knew which one would betray Him.

Jesus deliberately chose men to be the Apostles. The instructions Jesus gave were to choose men to be priests.

 

[FCEGM]

I completely and with out question accept the hierarchy in Ministry of the Catholic Church.

Good.

I am looking thru spiritual lenses, not categorizing my acceptance of this hierarchy based on male and female.

As you shouldn’t. That said, I urge you to accept the authority of Christ to teach through His Church that only men can be ordained to its ministerial priesthood.

See, ironically, you and I believe the same things. We are just looking at the world with different colored lenses. Our life experiences shape our perceptions. My entire point is this: women and men are created equal. NOW, if this is the point where you and I differ then I do not see how this conversation can move forward.

Since I already spoke of the equality of dignity of each person, that should not be a problem. Certainly, life experiences shape one’s perceptions, but when it is a matter of divine revelation and divine faith in that revelation, one’s perceptions must be conformed to that reality, not to the reality of our own predilections. So, with the matter of the divinely-ordained nature of the male-only priesthood. If a Catholic struggles with this and comes to a conclusion different from the Church’s infallible teaching, then his or her perception is not in line with that divine reality and has, rather, been shaped (often unwittingly) by forces inimical to the Faith.