Women demand greater say in future of Catholic Church

[Elizabeth502]

^ continuing…
I think there are also approaches in terms of men’s retreats, conferences, etc. – some of which should be brought more directly on-site into the parish when possible.

If you ever heard Fr. Larry Richards speak (he also wrote a book a year or two ago called “Be A Man,” but probably most Catholic men have never heard of it), Fr. Larry seems to know how to appeal to men. One thing I really like that he does is to frame the spiritual life as Challenge, as Action. You’re right: implicitly, the language of Catholic spirituality, historically, most often has a feminine tone or drifts in that direction, given how it stresses the receptive as opposed to the active. Men do need to be receptive, but they don’t arrive there in the same way that women do! The timing is often different, for one thing, than it is for women.

 

[Maria1993]

Facepalm.

Oh no, I might be sexist against my own gender if I don’t agree with them! NOT.

We are in a battle to get to eternity, and our church soldiers wanna play slap fights against eachother to get better positions.

 

[Birdpreacher]

I for one am glad that women have no say whatsoever in the selection of the next Pope. Its just not their place or else God would have made them men.

 

[FreciaMarie]

I guess it’s not enough that God chose to bring Jesus into the world, through a woman. Not enough that we women are privileged to carry, birth, nurture and raise Catholic saints. Not enough that we are privileged to create a “domestic church” within our own homes. Not enough that we have a completely unique and beautiful role in both humanity itself and in our Church. Nope- we want to take the men’s roles over, too.

I think if we American Catholic women were TRULY living up to our God-given obligations of raising good Catholic children, in strong Catholic homes, of providing assistance to the poor, the sick, the elderly, etc., we wouldn’t have time to screech and clamor about not having enough to do for and within the Church. Totally ridiculous.

Perhaps it’s time for the American Catholic male to start demanding that the Vatican permit them to give birth.

 

[Elizabeth502]

I guess it’s not enough that God chose to bring Jesus into the world, through a woman. Not enough that we women are privileged to carry, birth, nurture and raise Catholic saints. Not enough that we are privileged to create a “domestic church” within our own homes. Not enough that we have a completely unique and beautiful role in both humanity itself and in our Church. Nope- we want to take the men’s roles over, too.

What’s more revealing to me is how many men reject the idea of exclusive responsibility for anything.

 

[jwinch2]

^ continuing…
I think there are also approaches in terms of men’s retreats, conferences, etc. – some of which should be brought more directly on-site into the parish when possible.

If you ever heard Fr. Larry Richards speak (he also wrote a book a year or two ago called “Be A Man,” but probably most Catholic men have never heard of it), Fr. Larry seems to know how to appeal to men. One thing I really like that he does is to frame the spiritual life as Challenge, as Action. You’re right: implicitly, the language of Catholic spirituality, historically, most often has a feminine tone or drifts in that direction, given how it stresses the receptive as opposed to the active. Men do need to be receptive, but they don’t arrive there in the same way that women do! The timing is often different, for one thing, than it is for women.

Eastern Catholicism is often much more masculine in its approach to spirituality than Roman Catholicism in many ways. However, if you go back far enough, to St. Benedict, or even to St. John Cassian, you find a Western Christianity that feels quite masculine. This is one of the reasons monastic spirituality has appealed to me so strongly. The flowery writing of the middle ages doesn’t really do it for me. If it works for others, that’s fine, but I find it to be a turn off spiritually. The language of Christ as our lover, just doesn’t appeal to most men. Christ being our Lord on the other hand, that works. Men have no problem with servitude and reception, provided it is presented in a masculine way.

Men want to be men. And in this day and age, we desperately need men to stand up and be exactly that. If the Church can help by fostering a masculine approach to God, that would be very helpful.

 

[Elizabeth502]

Love your thoughts, Jason.


(And they make perfect sense.)

The Middle Ages were, of course, a romantic period, culturally. Much of it was pretty raw, and in some ways the romanticism of the era is seen as a response/reaction.

 

[jwinch2]

Love your thoughts, Jason.


(And they make perfect sense.)

The Middle Ages were, of course, a romantic period, culturally. Much of it was pretty raw, and in some ways the romanticism of the era is seen as a response/reaction.

Thanks.

 

[3DOCTORS]

If they had made an accurate headline, it would read “A certain faction of women demand . . .” These “women” aren’t all women. They don’t speak for me as a woman.

Now it’s one thing if there are some women who genuinely want to contribute to the Church their talents and work with the Pope and the Bishops to help the world. Someone like Mother Teresa. Not the rabble-rousers who want to change and make the Church unrecognizable as the Catholic Church, yet still insist on calling it the Catholic Church. No. These we must pray for that they get some humility and stop falling for the feminist propaganda.

 

[KCT]

As John Allen of the National Catholic Reporter writes, “Either John Paul II or Benedict XVI appointed each of the 117 cardinals who will cast a ballot, including 11 Americans, so there will be little ideological clash. No matter what happens, the church almost certainly won’t reverse its bans on abortion, gay marriage or women priests."

Hello?? You can’t ban something that doesn’t exist. (the marriage and women priest issues. Sadly, abortion exists…)

 

[Cranch]

I guess it’s not enough that God chose to bring Jesus into the world, through a woman. Not enough that we women are privileged to carry, birth, nurture and raise Catholic saints. Not enough that we are privileged to create a “domestic church” within our own homes. Not enough that we have a completely unique and beautiful role in both humanity itself and in our Church. Nope- we want to take the men’s roles over, too.

I think if we American Catholic women were TRULY living up to our God-given obligations of raising good Catholic children, in strong Catholic homes, of providing assistance to the poor, the sick, the elderly, etc., we wouldn’t have time to screech and clamor about not having enough to do for and within the Church. Totally ridiculous.

So well said. Thank you!

 

[BigBlueCane]

So if women were good enough to have such a huge role in christianity then why not in priesthood? You cannot deny the male machismo aspect in this.

 

[Wendy1989]

So if women were good enough to have such a huge role in christianity then why not in priesthood? You cannot deny the male machismo aspect in this.

If Jesus wanted women to be priests - he would have made his Mother a priest and Jesus LOVED his momma!

Just remember, if it weren’t for women - there’d be no indoor plumbing.

 

[BigBlueCane]

If Jesus wanted women to be priests - he would have made his Mother a priest and Jesus LOVED his momma!

Just remember, if it weren’t for women - there’d be no indoor plumbing.

Jesus technically didn’t make anyone a priest. In fact he died a Jew.

 

[matt1985]

I think it is reasonable to allow women to hear confession, read the gospel and give a homily. I’m a conservative, but to say that the Nuns can’t administer certain sacraments is probably wrong in this day and age. It is more important to reach the masses and win converts than adhere to dogma in the strictest fashion in my view.

 

[R_C]

I think it is reasonable to allow women to hear confession, read the gospel and give a homily. I’m a conservative, but to say that the Nuns can’t administer certain sacraments is probably wrong in this day and age. It is more important to reach the masses and win converts than adhere to dogma in the strictest fashion in my view.

This is unsound, sorry but it is. Please, don’t say you are a conservative, because it gives an erroneous impression of how a conservative Catholic is.

The Church has stated clearly throughout history that She has no authority to confer the Holy Orders on women. Do you realize what it means, to hear confession? It means to act in persona Christi. It means not just deacon, but priest. The Church cannot ordain women, because Christ has not willed them to be ordained. Period.

It is in fact not more important to reach the masses and win converts. What matters is solely to do God’s will. The Lord had many disciples, men and women. Yet the Holy Spirit chose Mathias, not Mary Magdalen, nor Mary the sister of Lazarus, nor Our Lady, nor any other woman. And so it has been forever.

As for teaching, it is questionable whether women should have the authority to teach men, or to proclaim the Gospel. But the Church has allowed it under some circumstances, given that ultimately s. Paul’s remarks on these issues are considered to be by some theologians (ex. I believe Cardinal Ratzinger back in the days before he became Pope) to be purely pastoral, while it is entirely undebatable his writing that “, there is neither male nor female: for you are all one in Christ Jesus”.

Our blessed nuns have chosen a very holy life that has a great dignity, but different from that of priests and confessors. Not lower, just different. To erase this difference is to erase God’s will, and is purely the work of the father of lies - whether it be in the liturgical scenario or in ordinary life.

Thanks God the Church is solid in Her teachings and will never contradict herself in matters of faith and morals.

 

[Bruised_Reed]

I think it is reasonable to allow women to hear confession, read the gospel and give a homily. I’m a conservative, but to say that the Nuns can’t administer certain sacraments is probably wrong in this day and age. It is more important to reach the masses and win converts than adhere to dogma in the strictest fashion in my view.

It is unreasonable because it can’t happen. The Pope doesn’t have the authority to change doctrine. Encouraging people, whether they are Catholic or not, to think this is possible is sort of like stoking the coals of an arguement that needs to die. And it isn’t productive to keep going on about something that can’t happen.

As far as reaching the masses and winning converts; to what, I ask you? Invalid sacraments? Moral relativism?

The only woman worthy of becoming a priest is one who is humble and obedient enough to know she isn’t called to be one.

 

[The_Curt_Jester]

If those women want more power they should stop aborting (or preventing) the children they would have had who could become the Church’s future clergy.

 

[3DOCTORS]

It is unreasonable because it can’t happen. The Pope doesn’t have the authority to change doctrine. Encouraging people, whether they are Catholic or not, to think this is possible is sort of like stoking the coals of an arguement that needs to die. And it isn’t productive to keep going on about something that can’t happen.

As far as reaching the masses and winning converts; to what, I ask you? Invalid sacraments? Moral relativism?

The only woman worthy of becoming a priest is one who is humble and obedient enough to know she isn’t called to be one.

:clapping: :clapping: :clapping:

 

[Mark121359]

The Church has stated clearly throughout history that She has no authority to confer the Holy Orders on women. Do you realize what it means, to hear confession? It means to act in persona Christi. It means not just deacon, but priest. The Church cannot ordain women, because Christ has not willed them to be ordained. Period.

What you say right here should put an end to this discussion. But somehow this “women priests” issue still has legs. I heard on the news that they stated that most Catholics want the Church to modernize, which to me is codeword for liberalize. I can’t even begin to imagine what it must be like for “liberal catholics” who are at such odds with the Roman Catholic Church on so many of her teachings. Watching the white smoke billow out of the Sistine Chapel, I can’t help but think that for many of our Catholic brothers and sisters, they were desperately hoping that the next Pope would bring about changes that would reflect their liberal views. And that’s really sad. I pray for them.