Female "preisthood", dogma, infallability...

[Ziggamafu]

A couple thoughts/questions:

Is there anything infallable regarding the male-only priesthood? Or has it merely been a consistant opinion of pope's and their interpretations of Scripture? The reason I ask is that there were at least a few issues that conservatives disagreed with JP2 on - but everything else they preach, teach, and believe like dogma. For instance his views on contraception vs his views on evolution. And obviously there have been at the very least liberal and at the very most evil popes who have taught and lived error - though not ex-cathedra etc etc; the Holy Spirit wouldn't allow that. So since we saw so many changes that conservatives NEVER thought would/should happen, does anyone here think it possible that a femal priesthood is [b]theologically [u]possible[/u][/b]? In other words, can it be proven to be dogma from an infallible source? If I'm not mistaken, the ordinary Magisteriusm is to be obeyed and assented to, but could be wrong - only the extraordinary Mag. is error-proof; so the male-only priesthood would need to be proven to be a product of that. Can anyone do that?

Now! If so, is it theologically possible for a bishop to confer sacramental power upon a woman with some other kind of position? For instance, Confession. The reason of course, is that so many women feel uncomfortable (and rightly so) going to celibate men about marital or sexual sins.

Again, I'll make it clear: I'm not asking your opinion, the pope's opinion, or whether or not you think it will ever happen - but only is it theologically possible; [i]could[/i] it happen?

[phatcatholic]

the pope has informed us, via his [i][b]infallible statement[/b][/i] in [i]Ordinatio Sacerdotalis[/i], that a female priesthood is an impossibility, that the Church does not have the power to ordain women:[list]"Wherefore, in order that all doubt may be removed regarding a matter of great importance, a matter which pertains to the Church's divine constitution itself, in virtue of my ministry of confirming the brethren (cf. Lk 22:32) I declare that the Church has no authority whatsoever to confer priestly ordination on women and that this judgment is to be definitively held by all the Church's faithful."
[/list]for a wealth of articles on the subject, go [url="http://phorum.phatmass.com/index.php?showtopic=7096"][b]here[/b][/url] and scroll down to the section on "The Ordination of Women."

pax christi,
phatcatholic

Edited April 5, 2005 by phatcatholic

[Apotheoun]

The fact that only males can receive priestly ordination is not a dogma of divine and catholic faith, but is instead a doctrine infallibly taught by the Ordinary and Universal Magisterium and confirmed as definitive by Pope John Paul II in his Apostolic Letter [u]Ordinatio Sacerdotalis[/u]; thus, it is a [i]de fide tenenda[/i] (of the faith to be held) doctrine, and as such it is irreformable.

[Apotheoun]

The following is the official response of the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith on the definitive nature of the teaching set forth in [u]Ordinatio Sacerdotalis[/u]:

[quote name='The Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith']Responsum ad Dubium concerning the teaching in [u]Ordinatio Sacerdotalis[/u]

October 28, 1995

Dubium: Whether the teaching that the Church has no authority whatsoever to confer priestly ordination on women, which is presented in the Apostolic Letter [u]Ordinatio Sacerdotalis[/u] to be held definitively, is to be understood as belonging to the deposit of faith.

Responsum: In the affirmative.

This teaching requires definitive assent, since, founded on the written Word of God, and from the beginning constantly preserved and applied in the Tradition of the Church, it has been set forth infallibly by the ordinary and universal Magisterium (cf. Second Vatican Council, Dogmatic Constitution on the Church [u]Lumen Gentium[/u] 25, 2). Thus, in the present circumstances, the Roman Pontiff, exercising his proper office of confirming the brethren (cf. Lk 22:32), has handed on this same teaching by a formal declaration, explicitly stating what is to be held always, everywhere, and by all, as belonging to the deposit of the faith.

The Sovereign Pontiff John Paul II, at the Audience granted to the undersigned Cardinal Prefect, approved this Reply, adopted in the ordinary session of this Congregation, and ordered it to be published.

Rome, from the offices of the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith, on the Feast of the Apostles SS. Simon and Jude, October 28, 1995.

+ Joseph Cardinal Ratzinger
Prefect

+ Tarcisio Bertone
Archbishop Emeritus of Vercelli
Secretary[/quote]