“Not Male Dominated “ by John Winjgaards

https://wijngaardsinstitute.org/not-male-dominated/?fbclid=IwAR1rN9QwKT1uCw9T-uPHAlPm9mGPBUlaLzk6zIr40iNRwDhjwA-xxUQ4s3k

 “Popes, like Paul VI and John-Paul II have repeated the ban on women’s ordination, basing it on Jesus’ words at the Last Supper. “When Jesus said: ‘Do this in memory of me!’, he addressed the command to the apostles”, they said. “Jesus only chose men to be apostles. Only men can receive priestly ordination.”

 

A careful scrutiny of the text presents a different picture. The Last Supper was a paschal meal for Jesus and the whole family had to be invited to take part in it. We can be sure that Jesus’ mother Mary and other women were present on that occasion.

 

The Catholic Church has always accepted that when Jesus stated: “Take this bread and eat!”, he invited all disciples, including women to communion. Why would his “Do this in memory of me!”, be a commission restricted to the apostles only?

 

Have church leaders forgotten the real historical grounds for excluding women from the priestly ministry? The early Church was dominated by Greek and Roman culture. For the Greeks women were inferior by nature. Romans put women firmly under control of their fathers or husbands. Women could not hold official positions of authority. Their testimony was invalid in court….”