More Women “Ordained”

Why this stuff makes the news is beyond me. It’s kind of like saying “man appointed ambassador to England by local carpenter.” At least in the Boston Globe article, they put the word “ordain” in parentheses. The media at least understands what these women do not: they may be something, but they aren’t Catholic priests, no matter what they claim. Also, judging by the photos on their website, most if not all, will be retiring shortly, if they’re not already receiving pensions. Yes, they are an aging, largely irrelevant movement which gets disproportionate media coverage. They speak of being “prophetic” but Rome, like Constantinople is not going to change based on activism and most likely won’t change at all. There’s a perfectly nice, but declining liberal communion in England that will not only let these women be pastors, but also “bishops.” If they hurry they can even participate in two hour diversity workshops on the CofE dime.

This entry was posted on Monday, July 21st, 2008 at 9:00 am and is filed under Catholic, General. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.

14 Responses to “More Women “Ordained””

  1. Nicene Hobbit Says:
    July 21, 2008 at 6:20 pm | Reply

    What amazes me is that there are Christians – Catholics – who even think that groups like Womenpriests have any valid points at all. The people in groups like this almost always want not just women ordained, but also gay priests, married priests, abortions on demand, and a blessing on divorce. Also, usually a watering down of traditional Christian doctrine comes with the package…a denial of the Virgin Birth, the exclusivity of Our Lord, and the truth of His Resurrection. In short, a church that gave into the demands of Womanpriests and groups like it would cease to BE a Christain church. If that is the kind of church they want, they have a viable choice in the Anglicans. God knows, the Anglicans haven’t been Christians in years!

  2. PMG Says:
    July 22, 2008 at 10:27 am | Reply

    Being within the sphere of the Boston media market, and the most recent womyn ordination took place in this media market, I was amazed at the coverage, and the nuanced terms coming out of the newsreaders on TV and radio.

    I understand that it is difficult to give the whole story in a news segment of a minute or less, and I completley understand the old axiom “good news is no news, “”if it bleeds, it leads,” etc., but they were definitly painting these lassies in a positive light, and the Church in a negative one.

  3. John6:54 Says:
    July 22, 2008 at 2:16 pm | Reply

    I want my cake and I want to eat it too.

    Really who shows up to these events besides the media. The term female catholic priest is an oxymoron. Do these people really think they can have what ever they want when ever they want and still head to heaven?

    I think there is a new axiom in media. “If it Offends, it’s In”

  4. The young fogey Says:
    July 23, 2008 at 9:30 am | Reply

    Brilliant second sentence. The only reasons they don’t become Episcopalians have been explained by Thomas Day: ethnic ties and class hatred of the English. They’re not Catholic.

  5. stlouismb Says:
    July 24, 2008 at 10:07 am | Reply

    I think Nicene Hobbit, you paint with a wide and sloppy brush in your comments.

    I have met three of those woman “ordained” in Saint Louis, and have not heard any of them, nor their supporters call for abortion on demand. Nor any denials of other traditional Doctrines. I actually attended the (attempted) “ordination” of these women in Saint Louis and talked with many from around the globe who are part of the Woman Priest movement. I didn’t get the same impression as you have.

    Have you had direct contact with any from the Woman Priest movement? Just curious where you came to this conclusion.

  6. Nicene Hobbit Says:
    July 24, 2008 at 10:53 am | Reply

    stlouismb,
    Indeed I have met many from the movement and, frankly, I am unimpressed, and I stand by my statements. Furthermore, “Rome has spoken, the matter is settled”. If these women and their supporters can’t accept that, then get the hell out. Period.

  7. David Bennett Says:
    July 24, 2008 at 12:37 pm | Reply

    saintlouis,

    With all due respect, the matter really is closed in the Catholic Church. I am genuinely curious: in your conversations with these women, what is it they are really trying to accomplish?

    These women have to know that unlike in Protestant denominations, forcing the issue through unapproved “ordinations” isn’t going to force the Church’s hand, because the Church doesn’t view ordination as a civil rights issue, but an issue of who can legitimately be ordained. These women can continue their “ordinations,” getting the ignorant mainstream media all excited or whatever, but the Church doesn’t act simply because secular trends dictate something. In fact, John Paul II basically said he couldn’t allow women priests even if he wanted to, because a pope can’t change something like that (it is funny, because as young fogey always points out, these folks really claim to have powers that no pope would ever claim for himself).

    These women should join the Episcopal church, and I don’t mean that in a mean way. They should join a church that accepts their apparent calling, because the Catholic Church doesn’t work like the Episcopal church, and the time when the acceptance of women’s ordination *possibly* could have happened (the 1970s) has passed.

  8. stlouismb Says:
    July 24, 2008 at 6:40 pm | Reply

    Hi David and NH,

    Thanks for your input. The matter is closed! Though, hopefully not our minds. However, as many matters in the past have been closed via “definitive teaching”, they have “reopened” as it were. I have no reason to hitch my wagon to the ordination of women either RCC or TEC or whatever. I don’t consider it a civil rights issue. The issue will not be cause for me to either stay or leave the Church. It can be an interesting discussion, or why put it on your blog at all?

    It is clear that the Church does not act or react to secular trends…. at least no right away. :)

    I have made some of the same suggestions about where these women can be legitimately ordained. I also served on a committee to investigate the vocation claim of women, way back in the early 80’s–I suspect before some of you were born. We conducted an interesting experiment. Some day if there can at least be discussion of the issue rather than the simple statement “the matter is closed”, I may share the results with you. You might be surprised by the results…I was.

    Peace,
    Mike

  9. stlouismb Says:
    July 24, 2008 at 6:42 pm | Reply

    BTW, NH

    You say “unimpressed”, but did you actually hear them ask for abortion on demand (etc)?

  10. David Bennett Says:
    July 24, 2008 at 7:21 pm | Reply

    Mike,

    I hope I wasn’t implying discussion here is forbidden. I honestly want to hear the other side here, and understand why some of these women continue to get ordained knowing full-well they will be excommunicated and not allowed to function as a Catholic priest. I was referring to point that discussion within the Church is closed. John Paul II basically said women can’t be priests, he couldn’t make women priests if he wanted to (because a pope can’t change Apostolic doctrine), and the matter is closed. However, just because the matter is closed for the Church doesn’t mean there can’t be discussion here, or anywhere for that matter. It definitely limits the scope of the discussion. As an example, I would welcome discussion with someone who doesn’t believe in the Trinity, but for the Church, the matter is closed. We can discuss nuances, arguments, etc, and I could even see a non-Trinitarian’s point more clearly, but again, the matter is closed as far as the church is concerned.

    That is why I wonder why these women get ordained, knowing they will just be excommunicated, when they could truly and freely exercise what they believe is their calling in an Episcopal church (or Methodist, etc). To be ordained only to be excommunicated makes me think it is an act of activism, one that is about getting attention, and drawing attention to the supposed injustice of denying women the “right” to ordination.

  11. stlouismb Says:
    July 25, 2008 at 10:20 am | Reply

    I know commenting on this relatively old post is futile for discussion. Thanks, though for acknowledging that discussion is not forbidden. Otherwise why study any subject that is definitive, why not just memorize what others have said about it? Inquiring minds continue to inquire. Though I have no reason to support the ordination of women, I would have no problem if (underlined) the Church changed its position.

    In the local case (Saint Louis), what also happened was that some of those of us who attended the “attempted ordination” of these women, were brought before the tribunal of our local ordinary and later, without due process both verdict and sentence imposed. This is why the issue is of interest to me…the aftermath of what happens to you if you acknowledge you have questions about definitive teachings. That is why I come here rather than commenting on some other forums (CAF, for example). Where I have been called a heretic for merely posing questions.

    I will be attending a vigil tonight at the residence of our departing Archbishop. Not to lobby for ordination of women, but to ask for “bread, not stones” from our next Bishop. I believe in my heart his mishandling of the case of Sr. L L is cause for concern and is an injustice which has caused scandal and disrespect of the Catholic Church. And thus, I vigil; to pray for him, his successor, and for myself–for understanding, mercy and grace.

    Peace,
    Mike

  12. Nicene Hobbit Says:
    July 25, 2008 at 6:16 pm | Reply

    Frankly, I must ask…why would an orthodox Catholic even go to one of these “ordinations”?

  13. stlouismb Says:
    July 28, 2008 at 9:55 am | Reply

    Hi NH, If you would like to email me personally I would be happy to continue this conversation. This blog entry is already buried, and thus not the easiest method of discussion. mbroute66@charter.net

    Peace,
    Mike

  14. Owen Says:
    August 6, 2008 at 10:25 am | Reply

    Looking for a definition of the word oxymoron? I submit “Roman Catholic women priests.”

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