Sir, – Ciarán Mac Guill (Letters, May 8th) argues that the “fixation with women priests” devalues the contributions that women make to the church in other ways. It takes some gymnastics to arrive at this conclusion when it is the church itself which devalues their contributions by limiting them to roles without any real spiritual or executive authority.
Mac Guill also argues that we cannot change what “Jesus himself instituted”. The church was founded on the accounts and letters of first-century men writing at a time women were very subordinate. It has reinterpreted these writings and reformed things over its history when it suited (for example, celibacy was not mandatory for priests until the 12th century reforms) and could do so again if it chooses.
The modern church is not guided by the first-century acceptance of slavery evident in the writings of St Paul etc and similarly it should not be guided by ancient attitudes to women.
The most telling point from Mac Guill is the suggestion that the Anglican church “is an ideal home” for women who want to be priests. The message is clear; there is no home in the Catholic Church for women who are not content to be subservient. – Yours, etc,
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KAY CHALMERS,
Douglas,
Cork.
Sir, – The question of the ordination of women priests is an issue that can no longer be deferred. There are no convincing rules of a religious nature which should prevent the ordination of women priests.
To quote St Paul “here is neither male or female” (Galatians 3.28) for you are all one in Jesus Christ.
We must open our eyes to the fact that we have a scarcity of Catholic priests, and there are so many well-educated women who would adequately fill those places and strengthen the life of the church rather than diminish it.
One of these days we hope sense will prevail. – Yours, etc,
MARY RIGNEY,
Kilgobbin,
Dublin 18.
