QUESTION
THE CATHOLIC CHURCH DOES NOT ORDAIN WOMEN PRIESTS! IS IT NOT A CASE OF DISCRIMINATION AND DISREGARD FOR WOMEN? Anne
ANSWER
“It is good to have opinions. In fact some of them can be very good, or seem so. However, it is important to know the facts.” This is what Mgsr. Matthew Edusei a former rector used to tell us in the seminary. (St. Peter’s Regional Seminary, Cape Coast). What has made the Catholic Church outstanding and helped her to survive over 2000 years is that, she doesn’t always or necessarily depend on opinions and sentiments but draws inspiration from Jesus himself who is the foundation, as well as the authentic teaching of his apostles and their successors.
If the Church were to rely on mere sentiments, She would soon endorse things like abortion, euthanasia, homosexuality etc because many people have very strong sentiments about these issues but the Church says NO! In fact, many of the churches that broke away from the Catholic Church did so based on sentiments and disagreement with core values which the Church would never compromise. You can research on how the Anglican Church, for instance came about. And you would realize that from these breakaways come new breakaways and it continues, sometimes because of unnecessary compromise. No church that ever broke from the Catholic Church ever stayed united for too long!
Unfortunately, there is a kind of media war against the Catholic Church, which is not new anyway, where the words of the Pope are twisted or misrepresented just to get attention and sales.
The point remains that the fact that women are not ordained does not mean the Church disregards women! Never! But the Church is not moved by sentiments to change what she received from Jesus himself, the apostles, and their successors!
Jesus himself was a man and priests act in his person. He chose 12 men, taught and trained them to continue his mission. This is someone who enjoyed the generosity and assistance of women in his ministry and even made a woman the first witness to his resurrection!
Even though he did not choose women for this specific role of priesthood, it did not mean he disregarded them and the Church neither does!
In the Catholic Church there are different apostolates or missions regarding evangelization and both men and women (both married and unmarried) feature prominently in spreading the word of God. Some of these are great theologians and saints. You can think of Mother Teresa of recent history, and other great men and women who were super evangelizers – and these were not priests!
IT IS ONLY WHEN WE SEE PRIESTHOOD AS THE ONLY WAY OF PROVING THE WORTH OF WOMEN THAT WE CAN SAY WOMEN ARE BEING DISREGARDED!
Do we then say men who are not priests are also of no value since they are not priests? The Church places equal value on both priestly and married life and does not place more value on either.
After all, why do many people, especially other christians vilify and persecute the Catholic Church?
Is it not because of the high honour she accords someone?
And is that person not a WOMAN?! MARY!
Padre Antonio
(WhatsApp number: +233 541 859198)
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