The Catholic Church Says No to Women
Posted by
nasims
Posted on: 05/27/08
The Catholic Church Says No to Women
Question for thought: If I support the idea of women being priests, then under this decree should I excommunicate myself? -- Please let me know your thoughts.
VATICAN CITY (Reuters) - The Vatican issued its most explicit decree so far against the ordination of women priests on Thursday, punishing them and the bishops who try to ordain them with automatic excommunication. The decree was written by the Vatican's Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith and published in the Vatican newspaper L'Osservatore Romano, giving it immediate effect. A Vatican spokesman said the decree made the Church's existing ban on women priests more explicit by clarifying that excommunication would follow all such ordinations.
Excommunication forbids those affected from receiving the sacraments or sharing in acts of public worship.
Rev. Tom Reese, a senior fellow at the Woodstock Theological Center at Georgetown University, said he thought the decree was meant to send a warning to the growing number of Catholics who favor admitting women to the priesthood.
It is true according to the decree excommunication only applies to bishops and women priests -- two things I will never be, so therefore by convenience I am excluded. However, if a woman is so passionate about her faith that she feels called to the priesthood, and in return the Church tells her she cannot receive the blessed sacraments, nor worship in public, then as a member of that Church how am I to react? In addition, if someone disagrees with something in this day and age as being unacceptable, then do you not have the responsibility to reject and denounce that entity or person, in this case the Vatican's Congregation for the Doctrine of Faith, or at least the statement?
Once again (beyond the equality argument) my main grief is that if a woman was called by God to be a priest through true divine inspiration, this decree basically says it does not matter because we have made our ruling, and even if you try to do what God is telling you, then you must be banished to praying and worshiping in private and not receiving the sacraments, OR you must choose another faith. Imagine if this decree was excommunication based on class or race -- this would not be allowed. This is unacceptable, and if you are a Catholic I feel we have the burden to either 1) agree, 2) disagree and speak out against it, or 3) change faiths. I am choosing #2 until further notice.
nasims
1
share
subscribe
contact
subscribe
RSS
Leave a Comment