10 Reasons Why Men Shouldnt Be Ordained

[NotreDame]

From what I understand, she didn't say she was "called", or that it was unjust that she couldn't. Rather, she was just stating her admiration for priests, and said that if she were a man, she would be one. I could be wrong, though.

 

Well, I wasn't sure and I don't know where my copy of story of a soul is, but I was pretty sure she wrote about how she quite literally felt called to be a missionary priest.  It was kind of moot at that time, since she was already bed-ridden inside the cloister, but she felt it, was frustrated by it, and wrote quite a bit about it.  It's just a point that women can feel called to something they can't be without it having a base motive. 

[Nihil Obstat]

We all share in the priesthood of believers through our baptism, but that is pretty distinct from the ordained priesthood. I think it is fair to call it a delusion, since the Church simply cannot, and never will, ordain women.
If a woman feels such a call, it may well be from the best of intentions, but it is false. God could never call someone to a vocation from which they are prohibited.

[Sr. MMcM RSCJ]

In my experience, part of realizing I am human is accepting that:

I don't know the future;

I cannot know the Mind of God.

 

I also try to be cautious before deciding that any other person is deluded. 

[Nihil Obstat]

In my experience, part of realizing I am human is accepting that:
I don't know the future;
I cannot know the Mind of God.

I also try to be cautious before deciding that any other person is deluded.

So are you saying that God does call people to vocations which are literally impossible to fulfill? Because it has been made quite clear that the ordination of women is just that- an impossibility.
I believe it is correct to call this an infallible matter of faith, not open to revision or challenge under any circumstances.

[cruciatacara]

In my experience, part of realizing I am human is accepting that:
I don't know the future;
I cannot know the Mind of God.
 
I also try to be cautious before deciding that any other person is deluded.

 

Excellent post! There is an old saying, "Never say never."
 
And as for knowing the mind of God or the future... well, who would ever have thought that God would call a young French peasant girl to lead an army? Of course they burned her at the stake for it -- but then they canonized her for it! Go figure!
 
I am not advocating that women should be allowed to be priests - not at all --- but I do think that  "There are more things in heaven and earth, Horatio, Than are dreamt of in your philosophy." - Hamlet (1.5.167-8) :) God works in mysterious ways His wonders to perform.

Edited February 2, 2014 by cruciatacara

[Nihil Obstat]

I think we are missing the point here. It is simply wrong to encourage women in a vocation permanently closed to then.

[Semper Catholic]

I think we are missing the point here. It is simply wrong to encourage women in a vocation permanently closed to then.

Debate and discussion is good for both sides of the argument. If you're not asking "why and why not" you leave yourself unprepared and and incapable of defending your beliefs.

Just saying "because they said so" is how revolutions and re formations begin.

[Nihil Obstat]

Debate and discussion is good for both sides of the argument. If you're not asking "why and why not" you leave yourself unprepared and and incapable of defending your beliefs.

Just saying "because they said so" is how revolutions and re formations begin.

I have no problem with asking questions. I do have a problem with pretending that this is not a settled question when it certainly is. We should not act in a way that implies Catholic teaching might change.

[Basilisa Marie]

I think we are missing the point here. It is simply wrong to encourage women in a vocation permanently closed to then.

 

There's a place between encouraging and writing people off as crazy.  If a woman who feels called to the priesthood doesn't get the right kind of support (support through the situation, not to become a priest) from people within the Church, she's certainly going to find the wrong kind of support outside the Church. 

[Nihil Obstat]

I never said crazy, but I will stand by deluded, in a kinder sense than might always be taken.

[Nihil Obstat]

Call it misled if you prefer.

[Lilllabettt]

Moreover, I also know some women who know they have been called to the Catholic priesthood, whose call has been confirmed by the communities among whom they minister, who have completed seminary training, et cetera.  I do not happen to be one of those women.

 

A well-formed Catholic person or "community" who encourages a woman in her belief that she is called to the priesthood is committing an unethical and cruel act of inhumanity.

 

Shame on them, and may God have mercy on them.

 

It is on the scale of a doctor encouraging parents to believe that their brain dead child will wake up, if only they are kept on a respirator a little bit longer.

 

The right thing to do is to be with a person in their disappointment, confusion and frustration. Rather than torturing them with false hope because we lack the courage to be with them.

[CatholicsAreKewl]

A well-formed Catholic person or "community" who encourages a woman in her belief that she is called to the priesthood is committing an unethical and cruel act of inhumanity.

 

Shame on them, and may God have mercy on them.

 

It is on the scale of a doctor encouraging parents to believe that their brain dead child will wake up, if only they are kept on a respirator a little bit longer.

 

The right thing to do is to be with a person in their disappointment, confusion and frustration. Rather than torturing them with false hope because we lack the courage to be with them.

 

For lolz, I reread your comment replacing "called to the priesthood" with "can vote".

[blazeingstar]

For lolz, I reread your comment replacing "called to the priesthood" with "can vote".

 

Voting's not exactly like transubstantiation, however.  Not allowing women to vote was on the basis that there was something fundamentally weaker about their gender. 

 

Male priesthood is an act of inclusion.  Men are given the gift of being able to receive the graces to make bread and wine into the Body and Blood of Jesus.  Only SOME men are, however, not all.   This is not an act of keeping women out, but one that creates specific parameters in which one can be let in. I'm very sure that there are many men who's "vocations" were encouraged even though they were completely false.  For this reason men carry a greater burden in this discernment.  God has decided to take this entire problem away from women.  In this day in age, however, instead of feeling like a relief and blessing, women take it as a slight.  I must say, however, the fact that i did not get the "oh will you be a priest" question growing up was a relief.  It is overwhelming to young boys and men, especially as they are trying to figure out women and sexual feelings.  I think that in small part it's what drove my brothers away from the church...and I don't blame them.  The pressure years ago because of social norms, and the pressure now because of lack of priests is enormous.  My brother said it best when he said, "getting engaged seemed to be me finally turning my back to the church and all their hopes and desires for me, once I turned, I kept walking".  He was the most active teen, leader of the youth group, alter server, was at everything.  People thought for sure he was going to be a priest.  He is now agnostic.  That is a burden I don't want on me.

 

We forget the difference between the spiritual worlds and the physical worlds because of our culture.  Our advanced equipment makes it safe for women to become fire fighters, but no level of ez lift vices are going to change spiritual matters.

[CatholicsAreKewl]

Voting's not exactly like transubstantiation, however.  Not allowing women to vote was on the basis that there was something fundamentally weaker about their gender. 

 

Male priesthood is an act of inclusion.  Men are given the gift of being able to receive the graces to make bread and wine into the Body and Blood of Jesus.  Only SOME men are, however, not all.   This is not an act of keeping women out, but one that creates specific parameters in which one can be let in. I'm very sure that there are many men who's "vocations" were encouraged even though they were completely false.  For this reason men carry a greater burden in this discernment.  God has decided to take this entire problem away from women.  In this day in age, however, instead of feeling like a relief and blessing, women take it as a slight.  I must say, however, the fact that i did not get the "oh will you be a priest" question growing up was a relief.  It is overwhelming to young boys and men, especially as they are trying to figure out women and sexual feelings.  I think that in small part it's what drove my brothers away from the church...and I don't blame them.  The pressure years ago because of social norms, and the pressure now because of lack of priests is enormous.  My brother said it best when he said, "getting engaged seemed to be me finally turning my back to the church and all their hopes and desires for me, once I turned, I kept walking".  He was the most active teen, leader of the youth group, alter server, was at everything.  People thought for sure he was going to be a priest.  He is now agnostic.  That is a burden I don't want on me.

 

We forget the difference between the spiritual worlds and the physical worlds because of our culture.  Our advanced equipment makes it safe for women to become fire fighters, but no level of ez lift vices are going to change spiritual matters.

 

I understand the defensiveness. Catholics get a lot of heat on this issue. The explanation for excluding females seems to be that Jesus just happened to pick males for some unknown reason to be priests/bishops/apostles. There's nothing wrong with only saying that. It starts to sound icky when we digress into why women weren't made for this role, why we shouldn't allow little girls to think they can ever become priests, or why this exclusion is a grace.

Edited February 4, 2014 by CatholicsAreKewl