Keeping the pants on priests
Letters to the Editor
I am writing in response to Maureen Smithe's article on the ordination of women in order to give a more clear account of the Church's teaching on this subject.
In John Paul II's encyclical "Ordinatio Sacerdotalis" (On reserving priestly ordination to men alone) he states, "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 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." The Church is guided by the Holy Spirit and is founded by Christ on Peter, the first pope. As a result, we can and should follow this teaching with confidence.
Why does the Church teach this? First of all, Jesus chose only men as apostles and "Christ, in instituting the Eucharist, linked it in an explicit way to the priestly service of the Apostles." (Mulieris Dignitatem, No. 26) Also, "Christ's way of acting did not proceed from sociological or cultural motives of his time" and "he did not act out of human respect" (Ordinatio Sacerdotalis, No. 2, Matthew 26:16). The Catechism states: "The Church recognizes herself to be bound by this choice made by the Lord Himself. For this reason, the ordination of women is not possible." (No. 1577) This is not a tradition like the Latin Mass but a firm teaching of the Church and the will of Christ.
In addition, the priest is an "alter Christus" who "enacts the image of Christ in whole person." (Thomas Aquinas, Summa Theologiae, III, 83, 1, 3) This includes the manhood of Christ.
This teaching does not portray a negative attitude towards women. If this were true, we must conclude that Jesus had a similar attitude since he called only men as apostles. This, of course, is far from the truth as the Samaritan woman at the well, Mary Magdalene, Jesus' mother and the many women who accompanied Jesus through his life show. Women have distinct roles in the Church which "remain absolutely necessary and irreplaceable," including religious life and motherhood (Ordinatio Sacerdotalis, No. 3). These two vocations have been under attack in our times. Who will defend these? Motherhood, in fact, which is of extreme importance to the salvation of souls, is a unique role not shared with men. The Pope himself respects women greatly, just read his long encyclical "The Dignity and Vocation of Women" and you will know what I mean.
Carolyn Torson
Lewis Hall
Sophomore
November 29, 2000
All Viewpoint Stories for Thursday, November 30, 2000
