A chara, – From letters in the press it is very clear that the Apostolic Letter from the Holy See of May 22nd 1994 needs to be highlighted again, for in this document the definitive answer to the whole matter is set out clearly.
May I please quote just the second last sentence of this Apostolic Letter, Ordinatio Sacerdotalis(Priestly Oration).
“Wherefore in order that all doubt may be removed regarding a matter of great importance, a matter which pertains to the church’s divine constitution itself, in virtue of my ministry of confirming the brethren (cf. Luke 22.32) I declare that the church has no authority whatsoever to confer priestly ordination on women and this judgment is to be definitively held by all the church’s faithful.”
This statement, that the church has no power to change in this matter will be accepted by all loyal Catholics. A copy of Ordinatio Sacerdotalisshould be available at Veritas in Dublin. – Is mise,
Madam, – We will never know whether in number terms last Sunday’s Mass attendances were up or down; what is incontrovertible is that Irish catholic women, so long subservient to oppressive canon law, have begun a journey towards Catholic emancipation for women that cannot be stopped . For this they all should be congratulated.
Now, it is time for catholic men to support their sisters struggling for justice especially those who have offered themselves as part of the all male deaconate in the Irish church by renouncing this role until women are accepted as deaconesses. We, as men, should realise that this office of deaconate is being introduced at this time to further reinforce the all-male clerical structures of the church and to keep women in the pews at all costs; that is the reason that I did not offer myself for this role.
The introduction of the ancient rite of deaconate was a opportunity by the hierarchy to show their positive commitment to justice and equality in the church by opening it up for women as well as men. However. once again, the church failed women by ignoring their Christ-given right to full equality in all areas of the church. – Yours, etc,
Madam, – None of the letters published by you on the subject of women’s ordination over several months make the core point that the exclusion of women from ordination is not an equality issue. That is to say the exclusion of women from the priesthood does not rest on gender considerations per se but on scriptural symbolism.
To remove the template of male priest presiding at the Eucharist in the place of Jesus whose own maleness was not accidental and who defined his relationship with his church in spousal terms would be as inappropriate as replacing bread and wine by other types of food and drink. In Revelation and in the Gospels, Jesus is the spouse who makes fruitful those who come to him. He quickens new life in those who have ears to hear or are in other words open to his Word. To further emphasise the point, the church is characterised as the Bride in the Book of Revelation.
This is not to say that the lay faithful, women and men, should not campaign for a greater role in church adminstration and that there should not be the kind of accountablility and transparency that makes the church not only conform to best practice but actually lead the way as befits an organisation committed to an understanding of leadership as humble service. – Yours, etc,