The Rancor of Radical Feminists for Women Priests

Posted on November 12, 2022 by Father Joe

OBJECTION

Men have messed up everything. They have caused scandals and have tried to hide their sins. Women could do a better job. We need to open up the priesthood now. We demand it! The new woman can do anything the man can do. That includes serving as priests!

RESPONSE

This befuddles me. There is nothing that the handful of women clamoring for priesthood can do to demonstrate that such a change in the structures instituted by Christ is warranted. Convoluted arguments that distort Scripture and Tradition are of no avail. The Magisterium has determined that it has no power to change it.

Viewing priests and bishops in terms of power, they hope to wrestle it away. Anger and hatred are forces that have long moved human history. There is no arguing with them, but that is okay. As long as they frantically deride the leadership in the Church as an oppressive patriarchy, they will not get far. Already many women normally sympathetic to their cause are themselves steering clear of these fanatics. Many of them will burn themselves out. Biologically speaking this is also true since their ranks include many avowed lesbians. Of course, it is admitted that even some of them want children. Many could not understand why there were so many lesbians and homosexuals at the NOW rally in Washington, D.C. a couple of decades ago. For the lesbians, the answer was simple. They wanted to insure that after the use of a stud service or artificial insemination, that if the child conceived was male, they could abort it and try again. What was it one woman said? Oh yes, “To have sex with any man, even your husband is rape, to give birth to a male child is to be raped a second time.”

When the bishops’ pastoral on women and sexism was being discussed, I attended workshops and encountered many of these angry women demanding the priesthood. They were insulted by my presence. Normal, happy women, stayed away. Where were holy women who desired priesthood? They were nowhere to be seen. This phenomenon was repeated throughout the nation. What kind of priests would they make? If they want to overthrow men whom they interpret as oppressors, it is only so that they can oppress us for real. These people sicken me.

Those who try to be less impassioned usually dialogue in utilitarian terms. They see the priest shortage as a danger to the Church. Little is said about the fact that encouragement has been lacking for men to consider priesthood. Families have fewer kids and then want grandchildren. Immediate self-gratification, including promiscuity, and driving ambition for the good life is a potent force in our society. These are things we are told to deny ourselves in seminary.

Priests display their discontent, and then wonder why there are so few to follow in their footsteps. The reputation of priests in general has been denigrated by the foul actions of a few and the news media hungry for gossip. Religious education has been abysmal, giving us several generations of baptized Catholics illiterate of their faith and/or taught heresy. Vocations directors turn down men for being too conservative and bishops either close seminaries or fail to sponsor candidates.

No, women priests are not the answer. We will get as many priests as we want; we just don’t want any. The West falters while the third world in places like Eastern Europe, Asia, and Africa, is exploding with vocations. Some of those who pose the utilitarian need may be acting in good faith, but they fail to see the manipulation of that need. Secular considerations must not force an unwarranted alteration of the theological obstacles to women’s ordination. No natural argument suffices because the priesthood touches the supernatural. “Be on your guard; do not let your minds be captured by hollow and divisive speculations, based on traditions of man-made teaching and centered on the elemental spirits of the world and not on Christ” (Colossians 2:8). We are to follow the traditions established by Christ and the teachings of the Church, instead. Do we listen to a logic inspired by the spirit of the world or by that guarded and nurtured by the Holy Spirit?