Yes, but not in the way you’re thinking…
Kasia May 30th, 2008
So TBS just sent me a CNN article about “womenpriests” (why, oh why, can’t they just call themselves “priestesses” and be done with it?) and excommunication. I have no idea how accurate the article is (though at least CNN had the sense to use “sic” after the group name “Roman Catholic Womenpriests”).
But I do have to say a couple of things to Ms. Nicolosi:
1. If you “have come not to take [excommunication] too seriously,” how can you claim with a straight face that you’re Roman Catholic? The Pope, and the Vatican, are the pinnacle of earthly authority for the Roman Catholic Church. Being excommunicated by the Vatican is something to take very seriously, if you are a Roman Catholic.
At least the self-styled “Old Catholic Church” has the modicum of good taste not to claim they’re Roman Catholic…
Look. If you’ve taken the step of being putatively ordained, you are no longer trying to reform “from within”. You have gone far beyond the pale. Please be honest about it!
2. The priesthood is not about power or patriarchy. It is about service to the Body of Christ, in the person of Christ. Whenever anyone, male or female, talks about the priesthood and the Church hierarchy in terms of patriarchy or power, it sets off red flags for me. It suggests to me they’re interested in it for entirely the wrong reasons. I’m just sayin’.
3. There may be an increasing number of Catholics who are supporting you, but speaking for myself, when I see more blather about “womenpriests” in the media…well, you’re right that I say something “is getting ridiculous”. But I’ll give you a clue: it ain’t the Church I’m talking about when I say it.
It has been almost fifteen years since John Paul II spoke authoritatively on the subject of women’s ordination. I do not understand for the life of me why you and yours cannot wrap your brains around the Church having said that she does not have the authority to ordain women.
You make me sad, Ms. Nicolosi.
“…why you and yours cannot wrap your brains around the Church having said that she does not have the authority to ordain women.”
Well, quite simply because as a culture we prefer not to think. We would rather just have people make cute, little soundbyte statements which sound good, and agree with them, so as to be on “the winning team” or “the team in favor of what is fair and non-oppressive.” Forget actually creating a real argument. You don’t need any supporting evidence. Just speak in a compelling manner and people will follow you.
Like sheep.
Stupid sheep.
Who don’t realize that they are following a false shepherd.
Kasia,
Your point number two is the key to the whole thing. These people are power-hungry, which in and of itself should be a clue we wouldn’t want them to be our sheperds, and they think as you say that the priesthood will give that to them. This is always my comeback when I meet people who think this female ordination is must: Why? And if the answer is about power, patriarchy and power-sharing, I just tell people that I am glad they are not in charge then. Having said that. many of these people really think they have been wronged somehow by parents or the church etc. If you can find it, Patricia Friesen, one of the priestesses, has her biography/autobiography somewhere on the web. It is a pretty telling story of someone who should really have psychotherapy rather than be a “priest.” So I tend to feel a lot of pity for these women and nothing but disdain for the men who “ordain” them. What a lie.