Letters

Women in the Church

Brian Bibby

Contents - May 2009 - Buy a copy now Editorial: The Virgin Mary's key role in our redemption - Michael Gilchrist Dissent: Rebel South Brisbane priest: new cafeteria church launched - Michael Gilchrist News: The Church Around the World Inter-faith dialogue: Jewish leader defends Pope over Bishop Williamson controversy - AD2000 Report Pro-family culture: AIDS in Africa: science vindicates Catholic Church - Babette Francis US Catholics leaving the Church in droves: what can be done? - Fr Joseph A. Sirba FOUNDATIONS OF FAITH: The Crusades: the truth behind the myths - Frank Mobbs Conversion: A Catholic convert's story (Part 2): Are there any regrets? - Michael Daniel Staying together: Stable families: the best defence against violence Death of a Child: The Pot of Basil - Will Elsin Poetry: Moments - Bruce Dawe Letters: The Pope and AIDS - Arnold Jago Letters: Fundamentals - J. Loring Letters: Teilhard - Jeremias Wijeyeratne Letters: Simple faith - Alan Barron Letters: Doctrinal differences - John Morrissey Letters: One Shepherd - Peter D. Howard Letters: Women in the Church - Brian Bibby Letters: From India - Fr A. Joseph PP Books: Golden Years: Grounds for Hope: Fr Golden and the Newman Society 1950-1966 - David Kehoe (reviewer) Books: Hilaire Belloc and G.K. Chesterton, by Karl Schmude - Br Christian Moe (reviewer) Books: AD2000 Books for May Reflection: 'What is truth?' (John 18:38) - The tunnel vision of Pontius Pilate - Andrew Kania

Even though 'Rome has spoken' many times, there are still those who believe there should be women priests in the Catholic Church.

The principal driving force for change is found outside the Church in the militant feminist movement. The militant feminists see the Catholic Church as the last bastion of 'male domination' and can never rest until that last bastion is changed.

Within the Catholic Church there are those who are influenced by the arguments of the feminist movement and believe there could be some advantages in allowing women to be ordained.

Some of the reasons given for allowing women's ordination are:

* When Christ established His Church He was restricted by the culture of the day.

* Times have changed. Women have excelled in virtually every position in public office, in the media in commerce and industry.

* With the benefits of female attributes, which woman priests would bring, the Church would become more sensitive, more compassionate and more understanding and thus be able to present Christ's message in a way that is more acceptable.

However, there are numerous examples in the Gospels that show Christ was not restricted by the culture of His time. He mixed with prostitutes, publicans and sinners, and healed the man with the withered arm on the Sabbath.

More significantly, Christ had a divine as well as a human nature. There were times in Christ's life where he acted in accord with His human nature, being hungry, tired, and tempted by the devil. There were times when he acted in accord with His divine nature - His miracles are obvious examples.

In His divinity, Christ is infinite, so suggesting Christ was restricted by the culture of the day is to impose limits on His infinity. Infinity is infinity; there are no imposed limits.

When Christ founded His Church and appointed Peter as its Pope with the eleven other apostles as His first bishops, it was His divine nature at work. If the divine Christ had so wished, He could have appointed six men and six women as His Apostles.

The fact is that Christ the divine chose twelve male apostles and gave them their mandate. If we were to go back a step further, if God the Father had wished it, Mary could have conceived a daughter or even twins, a son and a daughter.

The Pope has no authority to change the structure of the Church instituted by Christ the divine. Who are we to challenge our Creator?

BRIAN BIBBY
Forest Hill, Vic

Reprinted from AD2000 Vol 22 No 4 (May 2009), p. 16