By Monica Brady-Myerov
"But after Father John Shea, a professor of pastoral care and counseling, asked church leaders for a theological explanation for why women are not being ordained to the priesthood of the Catholic church, he was let go. After nine years, Shea will leave his position at the end of this semester. He refused to comment. The school says, as a matter of policy, it does not discuss personnel decisions. But several of the BC students who are protesting the decision say there’s a climate of intolerance at the Jesuit university around openly discussing sensitive issues such as the ordination of women."
Suzanne Thiel is the president of an origination known as Roman Catholic Women Priests, and is one of approximately 100 women who have gone through ordination ceremonies and call themselves priests. Thiel said the Catholic public has accepted female ordination, but church officials won’t talk about it.
“I think we have plenty of male priests who are open to women balancing out the ministry but they just are afraid for all kinds of reasons,” Thiel said. “Probably their retirement, especially, and just their whole priesthood from being cut off, because that’s how this hierarchy has been functioning...”
Bridget Mary's Reflection:
Kudos to Father John Shea for his courage to challenge the Catholic Church's discrimination policy on the ordination of women. As a prominent theologian, Shea knows that there is no credible reason for the Catholic Church not to accept women priests. In 1976, the Vatican's own scholars, the Pontifical Biblical Commission concluded that there was nothing in scripture that would prohibit women's ordination. Jesus did not ordain anyone. The Twelve referred to the Twelve Tribes of Israel. Jesus chose Mary of Magdala as the first witness to the Resurrection and entrusted the Good News at the Heart of Christianity to Mary, apostle to the apostles. The Catholic Church cannot continue to discriminate against women and blame Jesus for it!
The Association of Catholic Priests in Ireland and Austria have taken a position in favor of women's ordination. Let us hope that more and more priests will rise up to speak truth to the Vatican on women's equality in the church including ordination like Maryknoll priest Fr. Roy Bourgeous, Franciscan Fr. Jerry Zawada and now Fr. John Shea have done!
Bridget Mary Meehan, ARCWP
Bridget Mary Meehan, ARCWP
Association of Roman Catholic Women Priests
2 comments:
"But after Father John Shea, a professor of pastoral care and counseling, asked church leaders for a theological explanation for why women are not being ordained to the priesthood of the Catholic church"
See Ordinatio Sacerdotalis.
Ordinatio Sacerdotalis was not issued under the extraordinary papal magisterium as an ex cathedra statement, thus is not considered infallible in itself.
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