Translate

Tuesday, December 14, 2010

Did the Pope really say "all of Jesus disciples were women?" /A Vision Received?

TIME magazine rated Roman Catholic Women Priests the #6 Top Story.

"The Pope, in an interview published in late November, remained adamant that the Church has no biblical authority to ordain women as priests because all of Jesus' disciples were women. "
Was this a misprint by TIME or does it reflect new thinking or a vision received by the Pope?!!
Perhaps, Pope Benedict is recognizing the vital role women played in the Gospel.
Now let's hope that he makes the connection with the need for the full equality of women in the Catholic Church... as gender justice is a key to non-violence and to empowerment of women throughout our world community.
Here are a few of the prominent women in Jesus' circle of disciples that certainly lay the foundation for gender justice and women priests today.
Mary of Magdala, apostle to the apostles, first witness to encounter the Risen Christ, and called to "go and tell" the followers of Jesus including the Tweleve the Good News of Jesus' resurrection, the core belief of the Christian faith.
Mary Mother of Jesus, faithful disciple who turned the Spirit of God into the Body and Blood of Christ.The Catholic Church has an age-old devotion to Mary as priest. www.womenpriests.org/pafffirm.asp
The Samaritan Woman, who was the first evangelist who brought her whole village to Jesus, demonstrates the esteem that the Johannine community held its women leaders.
The story of the Samaritan woman is the longest conversation between Jesus and anyone in Scripture (John 4:6-42)
Joanna, Susanna and the many women who provided for Jesus out of their resources, and whom scholars believe bank-rolled his ministry.
Martha is remembered for one of the most important proclamations of faith. "I have come to believe that you are the Messiah, God's Only Begotten, the One who is coming into the world." (Jn.11:27) Scholars claim that the table ministry of Martha is associated with eucharistic ministry.
The story of the woman with the hemorrhage reveals a woman's dignity as a person in the face of religious and social discrimination. Jesus repudiates the purification rituals of the law-bound religious structures of all time that discriminate against women.
( If you'd like to read more about biblical women as equals and partners in the Gospel, read my book, Praying with Women of the Bible. available on online retailers such as amazon.com)
Bridget Mary Meehan, RCWP
Association of Roman Catholic Women Priests
http://www.associationofromancatholicwomenpriests.org/



No comments: