Catholic Womens Ordination


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Statements

Members of our organisation often feel like speaking out on some matters. Statements of interest will appear here.

We feature a statement from Myra Poole, CWO coordinator on the election of Pope Benedict XVI and what it implies for the ordination of women, who says...

"The question for CWO is where do we go from here? All will depend on how the new Pope reacts to this major problem in the Church, whether he is going to continue in this negative way or perhaps have a deep conversion. Meanwhile, we need to give the new Pope a chance to show his true colours. If all continues as now then I believe we have to reveal this 'papal discourse' for what it is.

As someone who has been involved lifelong in exposing and trying to improve the role of women in society and church it will be time to take off the velvet gloves. One of the greatest dangers of the present moment is that young women and men will be, and in fact many have been, seduced by the emotional blackmail of so much media coverage and idolisation of the role of Papacy. The Church is far, far bigger than one person.

CWO now needs all the support it can get, young and old. For this and any other Church to succeed women's ordination is essential. These all male systems are not healthy for men let alone women. We need people who will be loyal critiques of the present system. There is far too much fear around, after all 'perfect love drives out fear' and Christ warned us clearly to that 'By their fruits you shall know them'."

Election of Pope Benedict XVI

- where do we go from here?

The election of Pope Benedict XVI has produced various responses.

It is not surprising if there are feelings of despondency among the supporters of women's ordination because Pope Benedict was one of the main builders of the so-called theological edifice that has been built against women's call to priesthood.

Paul VI (1963-1978) began the process of erecting theological barriers against women's ordination in 1976 with INTER INSIGNIORES (Among the most significant developments of our time i.e. role of women and priesthood). It is important to note that the Canadian Bishops in the early 1970's were among the most articulate in calling for women's ordination to be considered. Whether Paul IV responded in fear or through pressure from a growing conservative element he promulgated a new theology on why women could not be priests - because they were not 'icons' of Christ !!! For 'icons' read they were not born biologically 'male'. Many theologians, men as well as women, have discussed the obvious errors embodied in this argument. If the historical person of Christ has to be replicated in all generations then it would be necessary to come from the Middle East and be a Jew. But this unfounded theological reason has prevailed nearly 30 years!

Then during the Papacy of John Paul II (1978-2005) a further argument was added against women's equality - 'equal but special' in Mulieries Dignitatem, (On the dignity of women) 1988. To take women's dignity and then say only certain jobs were suited to women, because of their dignity, is an argument of a generation long past. The papacy revealed a formidable ignorance anthropologically and socially. And this ignorance was enshrined under the solemn heading of 'theology'.These two documents were followed in the 1990's by two others

Reserving Priestly Ordination - 1994

In this letter John Paul II made the non-ordination of women as near to an 'infallible' statement as possible. The then Cardinal Ratzinger, now Pope, followed this up with his own response, and he was not even Pope as yet, in a document entitled a Responsum. At that time, Cardinal Ratzinger tried to put these teachings under the heading of the 'deposit' of faith. The 'hierarchy' of truths of Vatican II have truly gone astray.

The above is a quick run through of the present state of affairs.

For a full scholarly approach to the above documents see website www.womenpriests.org.

To realise the serious effects of this teaching on the poverty and treatment of women, especially in the developing countries, is crucial. If women cannot by nature image God in a public fashion as priests then they are not as good as men. The corollary is they can be treated as second class, beaten, kept poor and raped at will. And how often this happens in all parts of the world. In Britain the extent of domestic violence is only now coming to the fore. The lack of research in developing countries has not as yet revealed the extent of this and other crimes against women. The extent of paedophilia in the priestly all male ministry in the Church is a serious warning sign of the inherent dangers of an all male ministry.