So... WHY is she Catholic?
A friend of mine directed me to an article, which you might want to read,
about a woman who believes she has been ordained a Catholic priest.
Nothing surprised me in this article, though some things made me sad. It
was pretty much the normal loopy story, but with one twist. In general, I
have noticed that converts to Catholicism become bulwarks of orthodoxy, but
obviously this isn't always the case. I find it odd that a woman would
convert to a religion she obviously didn't really agree with. She wasn't
forced to become Catholic. I also think it's rather arrogant to convert to
a religion you disagree with and then insist that it change to suit you.
My friend asked if Jane Via was automatically excommunicated upon
"ordination." I had assumed the same myself, but recently learned that,
oddly enough, fake ordination isn't an automatic excommunication. However,
if the "ordained" tries to effect any of the Sacraments reserved to the
priesthood -- i.e., pretends to consecrate -- that's an automatic
excommunication. That's at least how it was explained to me.
Via says, "I believe that my ordination is valid. I acknowledge it's illicit
under canon law.” She might believe that, but she believes a lie. Her
"ordination" is both illicit and invalid. In contrast, the ordinations
conferred by Archbishop Lefebvre were illicit, but valid. He had the
ability to ordain those men, but should not have done so. Whoever
"ordained" Via did not have the ability to do so, since the Church has
declared She has no authority to ordain women.
Women's "ordination" is a very American thing to do. American's seem to
think that democracy trumps everything. If enough people believe it, then
anything goes. But no matter how many people believe a lie, it is still a
lie. One hundred percent of the people could support abortion, but it would
still be wrong. It would still be murder. And so it is with women's
"ordination." It doesn't matter how many people think it should be allowed.
The Church, thank God, is not a democracy.
Comments
This is a sticky theological area, I think. There is no doubt that the Catholic Church does not ordain women but many protestant churches now do (not ours, Baptist.) One of my very good friends is a Methodist minister(female) and by all accounts a fine shepherd to her flock. She is doctrinely very conservative and Biblically sound in every way EXCEPT on the women as church leaders thing. After many years of struggle with issues like this (women's roles) I have come to believe that God does not want women to LEAD in the church. They can serve, teach and participate in every sphere except one, LEADERSHIP. I do not base this on I Timothy 2:11-12 ("let a woman learn in silence"..."I do not permit a woman to teach or have authority over a man.") but on Genesis. After Adam and Eve sinned, God cursed the serpent ("on your belly you shall go and you shall eat dust"),nature (cursed is the ground for your sake"), Adam (in toil you shall eat of it (earth) all the days of your life")and EVE ("in pain you shall bring forth children AND... your desire shall be for your husband and he shall rule over you.") This is the crux of my objection to female clergy. God has chosen to punish female-kind for our part in the Fall by thwarting what comes so easily to us.
It is our natural desire to try and rule over (or boss) our husbands but God tells us that the headship is the man's. Man's punishment is hard work and responsibility.
It seems that since a man should love his wife and be head of the family as Christ is head of the church, it follows that the church should mirror that organizational order. I know this is very un-PC but I believe that it is our role to submit in the area of leadership. If we can't, then maybe we are in rebellion and need to confess that sin in our life. I struggle with this one ALL THE TIME but have found that it is my own stubborn pride and will that is at work...plus some gentle coaxing from our enemy. Men have a heavy responsibility in their leadership roles...they are accountable directly to God for how they direct their families and by extension, their flocks if they are ministers. I am happy that I do not have such a burden and wish more women would see what a privilaged position we hold in this way.
Posted by: Betsy Cuthbertson | August 6, 2006 6:49 PM
Someone on one of the podcasts I listen to made an interesting point. He said that people who protest that women should have the ability to be ordained as priests are actually denegrating other women religious. As if being a Sister or Mother were inadequate. One can imagine these people saying "Mother Theresa was all well and good, but she really could have done a lot of work for the Church if she had been ordained as a priest!"
To see the differing roles of men and women as one of power or importance is a mischaracterization of these roles. If you wanted to look at the roles with that viewpoint, one could even consider that the role of a priest is even more of a servant than any other. Or conversely, if these advocates were truly aiming for equality, why do they not champion with equal fervor the ability for men to become nuns?
To rail for the ordination of women is to desparage the positions that women already hold within the Church.
Posted by: Sean Ahern | August 7, 2006 9:52 AM
Sean makes very good points about the different yet equally valuable ways that men and women are called to serve. Another point to remember about anyone who asserts that he has a calling to the priesthood is that in Catholic thought, no individual can decided for himself that he is called to a priestly vocation. The discernment of God's calling is a collaborative effort between the individual and his commmunity (religious community, parish community, etc.)
If these women feel so strongly that they should be priests, they should feel equally strongly that they should not be Roman Catholic priests (since Roman Catholicism doesn't allow for priestesses).
The facile analogy is someone joining a tennis team and then insisting that everyone play raquetball.
Posted by: Don Roberts | August 8, 2006 4:59 PM
Don, I like the sports analogy, but I might have chosen baseball and football. I think your sports were too similar. :->
Sean, great comments on the insistence of women's "ordination" denigrating the other female religious roles.
Betsy, I agree with you that women are not called to leadership in the church, so I think it best to not have women ministers.
There are additional facets (other than having women in positions of headship over men) to this issue in the Catholic Church. The Church has declared definitively that She does not have the authority to ordain women priests. For a woman to decide the Church is wrong and that she will be ordained anyway is basically for her to say that the Church is not in a position to determine its own rules, and that the Church is teaching error and is therefore not inspired by the Holy Spirit. Pretty strong dissent.
Catholics supposedly believe that the Church was founded by Jesus Christ and that the Holy Spirit will not allow the Church to teach error. It is hard for me to see how Ms. Via's actions fit with Catholic behavior. It is a question of obedience.
Posted by: Lisa Roberts | August 8, 2006 6:09 PM
Lisa:
Isn't it funny how these women ALWAYS have to be in positions of leadership to serve? I'm sure Ms. Via would never consider anything less than priest because she sees herself as "special." Afer all, she's an attorney and has several advanced degrees so being in charge is her natural position. For women like this, I suggest the Episcopal church. They are open to any and everything...they do not let tradition or the Bible get in the way of their mission of equality and "acceptance." Believe it or not, the local church in our neighborhood has as it's motto, "We accept everyone who accepts everyone." Several of my gay friends from NYC have become priests in the Episcopal church and feel right at home there...one church I visisted when I was back had 2 women priests and 3 gay male priests!
Anyway, part of the attraction for her staying in the Catholic church and pulling this stunt IS rebellion. I want what I want and no male-dominated institution is going to get in my way. I admit it's hard to bend the knee and submit to authority but that is the root of our belief. We must be obedient...first to God and then the power structures God has put in place over us. Of course, willfullness and disobedience were the source of sin originally so it's a biggie.
Posted by: Betsy Cuthbertson | August 9, 2006 8:35 AM