Twelve Women 'Ordained' as Catholic Priests

[lunamoth]

I'm not opposed to women in the Clergy for any Christian denomination. I just think that if these women want to gain the respect for thier cause of equal rights to this position they should be respecting the institution of the Church as well - reform doesn't come all at once, and asking for acceptance of women into Catholic Clergy while at the same time presenting a "feminine alternative" to God isn't going to help them get their message heard. I would personally like to see women become "legally" ordained in the RCC. I was raised a Catholic and it's something that's always bothered me. But, these women also don't seem to respect the teachings of the church, which makes me question why they want to be ordained in the first place.
I'm also not saying that I completely oppose the idea that even within the church God can be mother and father, I just don't think that using the methods and words of feminine/Goddess spirituality movement (that is seen as a witchcraft cult by the church) is going help them hear that message either.

And what I wonder is exactly what could be done to move the church in the direction of being more open to the ordination of women? When a 'challenge' to doctrine is viewed as disrespecting the institution of the Church, no matter how presented it is not going to heard favorably. I am not familiar at all with the movement of women within the Catholic Church through history, but it would not surprise me if women have been politely quietly seeking, knocking, asking for centuries, only to be dismissed, or worse. And there is, sadly, a lot of misogyny in the histroy of the Catholic Church to be overcome. I'm not saying that the Catholic Church is today misogynist, nor that women Catholics should be discontentd in any way. But, apparently, some are.

And as people have pointed out, these women have not directly challenged the authority of the Vatican--they've already broken away. Their only 'crime,' as I see it, has been to hold up a mirror.

The first story that I linked about the women in the boat? That came directly from the OP, which is why I didn't post the link again.

Doh! I missed that.

Respectfullly,
lunamoth

 

[lunamoth]

Are you suggesting that an army of angry naked Catholic women invade the Vatican?

Hey, I'm game.

Well, I'd be more into peaceful, daisy-carrying naked women 'invading' the Vatican.

luna

 

[MaddLlama]

What I'm saying is that I think they tried to change too much, too quickly. Challenging the doctrine of women's ordination I believe is a seperate issue from giving mass more feminine language. That kind of change can't come so quickly. You have to take it one step at a time, instead of vyying for total reform overnight. Such an extreme breakaway from doctrine (whether or not you or I agree with it) doesn't get those in the RCC who disagree to listen.

And what I wonder is exactly what could be done to move the church in the direction of being more open to the ordination of women?

This is unfortunately where I have to show my stripes and say "I have absolutely no idea", as I haven't been Catholic for quite some time. =/
Maybe Victor would know ^_^

 

[MaddLlama]

Well, I'd be more into peaceful, daisy-carrying naked women 'invading' the Vatican.

Woodstock 2007, located in the scenic Vatican chapel!

 

[lunamoth]

What I'm saying is that I think they tried to change too much, too quickly. Challenging the doctrine of women's ordination I believe is a seperate issue from giving mass more feminine language. That kind of change can't come so quickly. You have to take it one step at a time, instead of vyying for total reform overnight. Such an extreme breakaway from doctrine (whether or not you or I agree with it) doesn't get those in the RCC who disagree to listen.

But my question is still, if it were you, what would you do?

Frankly, I'm probably not courageous enough to do something like that. But I can't think of anything else, other than to simply leave (vote with your feet, so to speak). That itself is hard enough to do, as you well know.

luna

 

[MaddLlama]

But my question is still, if it were you, what would you do?

Frankly, I'm probably not courageous enough to do something like that. But I can't think of anything else, other than to simply leave (vote with your feet, so to speak). That itself is hard enough to do, as you well know.

luna

Honestly if it were me, I would find another religion that supported my beliefs, and that's essentially what I did. I know not everyone feels this way, but I would rather find something new rather than have to change something, whether it's what I believe or policy of a religion.
I suppose by being excommunicated they've done something similar.

 

[Quiddity]

I'm not completely unsympathetic to these women, but this seems a very odd approach to take. If I understand this correctly, they have ceased to be Roman Catholics and have entered into the Independent Catholic movement, even if they choose to call themselves Roman Catholics -- and there are already plenty of Independent Catholics who ordain women. If they deny the authority of the Vatican to rule on this, why would they want to be Roman Catholics, anyway?

Exactly! It's just a label used to identify who we are and that immediately let's people know what we believe and so on. Don't know why a movement would want all we (RC's) believe attached to them.

Usually, the only beef I get myself involved with is the outcry of "equality" within the walls of my Church. Meanwhile billions of Catholics are sitting in their homes fingering their rosaries praying to a women. Sometimes I ponder over whether people realize how odd this outcry of "equality" is for Catholics around the world.

 

[lunamoth]

I would imagine it might be divisive as well, just as the Episcopalian's were divided over the issue. The thing is, I think the Episcopalians would've gotten to women priests anyway in time, just through persuasion, prayer and study anyway. Sure I understand the impatience, but it only served to divide people.

Was Tahiri being impatient when she removed her veil at Badasht? It is said that many left the Babi movement because of this, but she sounds like a prophet to me.