Women Bishops?

  • Thread starter Thread starter St_Gabriel
  • Start date Start date
Status
Not open for further replies.
S

St_Gabriel

Guest
Hello everyone. I don’t want to open up any debate here, I am just looking for a bit of information. I have never been to Rome, but someone I know went there and visited the catecombs. Anyways, this person said that she saw that there were 3 woman bishops that were buried there and they are clearly labeled as bishops. Does anyone know if this is this true? I don’t know whether or not I posted this in the right section. Again. This is not a debate. I am just curious. I didn’t know how to respond to that, since it was the first time I had ever heard of it.
 
Hmm… I am not sure what your friend is referring to, but I wonder if three is the right number. The organization called Roman Catholic Womenpriests has an ancient mosaic on their homepage. They say it depicts the Virgin Mary, “Bishop Theodora”, St.Pudentiana and St. Praxedis, and that these persons are labeled as such.

The mosaic is in the San Zeno chapel of Santa Prassede in Rome. You can see it here in context:
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Mosaic_in_Santa_Prassede_-_Theodora,_Agnus_Dei.JPG

The two saints are not identified as bishops, but some say that Episcopa Theodora translates as (female) Bishop Theodora. I think this is very much a minority position. Most would say that Episcopa means that she was married to a (male) bishop.
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Episcopa_Theodora

Even if your friend was referring to something besides this mosaic, I think the argument of Episcopa = wife of male bishop has legitimacy.
 
St_Gabriel said:
Hello everyone. I don’t want to open up any debate here, I am just looking for a bit of information. I have never been to Rome, but someone I know went there and visited the catecombs. Anyways, this person said that she saw that there were 3 woman bishops that were buried there and they are clearly labeled as bishops. Does anyone know if this is this true? I don’t know whether or not I posted this in the right section. Again. This is not a debate. I am just curious. I didn’t know how to respond to that, since it was the first time I had ever heard of it.
Click to expand...
As the Wikipedia articles that Dale presented do note, the feminized names denote the **wives ** of clergy (and in the case of this Theodora, a *mother *to a pope), specifically bishops and priests (at a time where Church disciplines in the Western Church did allow clergy to marry).

As per Scripture *and *Tradition *and *Early Church Father documents support, there has never been and never will be ordained females in Catholic or Orthodox clergy. The Church has made this clear in the papal letter, ORDINATIO SACERDOTALIS.

The only other argument that the schismatic “Roman Catholic Womenpriests” movement often point to is in Romans 16:1, where a woman was appointed to help with the baptisms of other females at a time were modesty was more important culturally in early Christianity. The Womenpriest’s argument falls flat because (1) there is no further Scriptural support to suggest ordination (2) there is no ECF documentation that shows this practice continuing and (3) **any **Christian can technically baptize another with the proper matter and form; ordination is preferred but not outright required in some cases.

Catholic apologist and author Peter Kreeft has a great audio speech on the motivations for power and equality sought of some women in their desire to join a priesthood and why such as a practice was never done by the Judeo-Christian faiths (many pagan faiths did). You can find that audiocast here on the author’s official website.
 
****]“Men can conceive & have babies” & women can be Bishops!
**
i could even marry my dog, because i love him!
**
Sancta Maria, Mater Dei, Ora Pro Nobis Peccatoribus!

mark
 
Almost certainly, Theodora was the wife of a bishop. But even if she had been consecrated as a bishop herself, all that would show is that heretics in the mould of the “womenpriests” have been around for a long time. The fact remains that Jesus Christ did not choose any women as His apostles, and that women have made vital contributions to the Church without being priestesses.
 
Status
Not open for further replies.
Back
Top