Priestesses: Can Women Become Men?

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Posted on July 25, 2011 by Father Joe

Back in 1989, many Europeans celebrated the anniversary of the French Revolution. The Church was heavily criticized for not taking an active part in the festivities. Why did the Church refuse to join in the memorial of an uprising that espoused, “liberty-equality-fraternity”? Well, the answer went deeper than the religiosity of the fallen crown. Liberty for some meant persecution and death for others. Catholic priests were murdered by the thousands. Church properties were confiscated. The faith was mocked. No, the revolution might have been a watershed in French history, but it was also a tragic instance of man’s inhumanity to man. What does the Church have to show for this revolution? Less than 18% of the French go to Sunday Mass. The cathedrals are empty. Their over-emphasis upon individual freedom found its way into existentialist philosophy.

Simone de Beauvoir wrote in her book, The Second Sex, that she envisioned young girls as “thwarted boys, that is, children that are not permitted to be boys,” and defined the adult female as an “abortive man.” Akin to our radical feminists, although they might deny it, she concludes that women can only achieve true emancipation by liberating themselves from their femininity. This changes the question, “Can women become priests?” to “Can women become men?” This is not a ridiculous question. My old rectory cook used to keep a small television running while working in the kitchen. Sitting with her one day she told me of a talk-show hosted by a panel of women who through hormonal treatments and drugs had undergone sex changes. They were literally seeking to become men. It seems that “liberty” and “equality” have gone mad!

Men are also confused about gender and sexuality. Doctors are seriously considering experiments with the implantation of embryos into the stomach linings of homosexual men. Yes, they want to be mothers! It is in this context of gender confusion that the question of women priests or priestesses arises. Many proceed with the unattenuated assumption that sexual differentiation is primarily a sociological matter. Minimizing the underlying biology, the social roles are interpreted as interchangeable.

A radical feminist theology, analyzed within a Marxist matrix, is one of the contemporary liberation theologies. Its ultimate end is an androgynous utopia in which there is full “mathematical” equality between the expectations and assignments of the sexes. This is in contrast to the Christian goal of a state of holiness and the acquisition of the greatest good, God. This end is achieved by divine grace and through the complementary (but not always identical) instrumentation of gender-differentiated human beings. I sometimes have to wonder even in regard to their official feminist stratagem, if radical feminists are honest; is it really equality they want or superiority? How does the old song from a musical go? Ah, yes, “Anything you can do, I can do better than you!” I suspect this is part of their not so well disguised agenda.

POPE JOHN PAUL II: “I declare that the Church has no authority whatsoever to confer priestly ordination on women and that this judgment is to be definitively held by all the Church’s faithful” (Ordinatio Sacerdotalis).

Filed under: Priestesses, Priests, Sacraments, Women Priests |

3 Responses

Steve, on October 19, 2011 at 6:34 am said:

I do not see evidence that woman wishing to serve as priests results in
gender confusion anymore then women wishing to serve as doctors lawyers or plumbers for that matter. The considerable experience of the Episcopal church bears this out. The expression of their feminity in their dual roles as mothers and priests (since Episcopal priests are married for the most part) is not in anyway lessened. I believe much in the discussion of women priests conflates the accidental and the essential. Despite the brief opening of Inter Insigniores , the argumentation has simply become stonewalling.
If it were arguably true that the gender was essential than the pope’s contention in Ordinatio Sacerdotalis that the church has no authority to confer ordination on women would not be so ironic.
Far more convincing is that patriarchal notions infect the discussion. But of course I could be wrong

FATHER JOE:

The priesthood is in no way comparable to being a doctor, lawyer or plumber. The priesthood is not a job or career. It is a new identity that God gives a man. The word “priest” itself is MALE and we would reserve the word “priestess” to New Age cults and pagan religions. It is because of this non-Christian connection that women posing as clergy in the Episcopalian denomination refuse to embrace the female word used, “priestess.” The priest is a new Christ, the groom to the Church. A woman cannot be a groom. This is still the case, despite legislation to give same-sex unions a feigned marital status.

The ecclesial community of Anglicanism, not a true Church in the theological sense given Pope Benedict XVI’s distinction, has no weight in this discussion at all. Neither men nor women in the Episcopalian community are ordinarily regarded as true priests, except that is for men who have defected from Catholic ranks, usually so that they can violate their vows and find intimacy with a woman. In any case, the ordination of women is one of the factors that has further fractured their communion.

These women in the Anglican rites might be good mothers, but the trouble is they cannot signify Christ’s priestly identity as a spiritual father and spouse to Mother Church. We should not categorize core elements of personhood and identity as accidentals. Such a mentality is rampant in liberal Protestantism where complementarity is destroyed for a false equivalence. Men and women are not the same. Christ was a man. Sharers in his priesthood are men. We do not have the authority to break this pattern. Yes, even the Pope cannot change it. He admits as much. Those who want a debate would say that the Church is stonewalling. But any debate has been decisively ended. Pope John Paul II made it very clear and the current Pope regards the Church’s stance as solemnly declared. Women never were, are not now, and can never be— priests.

You use the word “patriarchal” as a negative and yet the pattern comes down to us in the authority over the Hebrew People and later the Church. Adam is the father of mankind. Abraham is our father in faith. The Messiah comes from the line of King David. A family becomes a tribe and then becomes a nation. Today, under the Pope and our spiritual fathers, the bishops and priests, divinely appointed authority continues within the new People of God, the Church. Just because there is a patriarchal authority does not mean that there is deafness to the value of women. It is my conviction, that the authority that speaks for Christ, under the light of the Holy Spirit, and appointed for this service, is right and truthful. Some teachings might be difficult to accept, but a Catholic ecclesiology would compel us to assent and to be obedient. I suspect the infection is from secularity and an unfortunate residue of rebellion left over from the reformation.
Meg, on July 25, 2011 at 6:05 pm said:

I agree! We are so twisted. I worked in OB/gyn for years and I really could not believe how women will beg, plead and borrow to have their female organs removed, then realize they are still not happy. Hmmm, I wonder why? Birth control is handed out like candy because these young girls can’t get through 3 days a month of cramps and PMS. Women do want to BE men, it is strange…
Paul, on July 25, 2011 at 2:51 pm said:

Dear Fr Joe,

I heard that, many moons ago, we even had a woman as a Pope and it was not noticed for a long time, that was when they introduced the mirror test. I may be reciting an ‘urban myth’ but some swear it was so.

If that is the case we can even claim to have beaten the Protestants at another ‘first’

Bizarre notions apart, we pray that St Michael will ‘thrust down to Hell, Satan and all wicked spirits who wander through the world for the ruin of souls’. That official prayer and the fact that Jesus was often recorded driving out wicked spirits would suggest they are a reality; even today they may well be possessing souls hell bent on destruction and possibly possessing those who choose to lead a life contrary to His rules.

There is no room for speculation or interpretation, it is quite simple and His Word remains inviolate. Women do not become priests….simple.

As for these weirdos who want to fiddle around with their bits, well, sad though that may be they too will have to answer for their rebellion as that is exactly what it is plain and simple……rebellion. We know full well what happened to the rebellious angels and we too may well be sent from the eternal city and banished to the fires of desolation.

We have to make the ‘right’ choice no matter how difficult that might be and no matter how the adversary may tempt us. We must remain steadfast and, well, just ‘normal’ Heaven’s above just what is so wrong with that?

With love, Paul

FATHER JOE: The fable about Pope Joan is pure myth. You might see something about it on the Discovery or SyFy Channel but not in any credible historical research, Catholic or Protestant.