“St. Pope John Paul II had the last clear word on this and it stands,” Francis said during a news conference aboard the papal plane on a flight from Sweden back to Rome. Those words by Pope John Paul II stated the church had “no authority whatsoever to confer priestly ordination on women.”
The stark difference in the answers prompted questions.t
Bridget Mary's Response:
Kudos to Francis for opening door to married men, but he also needs to affirm women priests as spiritual equals in an inclusive church.
This argument is a dodge and laughable if it was not so sad and insulting. It insinuates that somehow the Creator of the cosmos is impotent when it comes to the issue of the ordination of women! In everything else, the male hierarchy has plenty of authority to do whatever it wants, including make rules that impact women's lives without their input. No wonder so many women have rejected the church for its blatant, sinful sexism.
Jesus treated women as equal disciples. The women were faithful to him to the end. When the men fled, denied or betrayed Jesus, the women stood by the cross, and were present at the tomb. According to all four Gospels, the women were his faithful companions who walked with him to his execution. Mary of Magdala was the first to encounter the Risen Christ who commissioned her to "go and tell" the good news, the job description of an apostle. The Fathers of the Church affirmed her as the "apostle to the apostles." Fast forward to the 21st century and all memory of Jesus' egalitarian relationships with the women disciples seems to vanish from the memories of our present popes!
I pray that our beloved Pope Francis will have the courage to treat women as equals like Jesus did, and affirm women priests! No more silly excuses, no more blaming Pope John Paul 11 for second class citizenship for women in the church.
Bridget Mary Meehan ARCWP, www.arcwp.org
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