In ancient Rome, the cradle of democracy, women had no rights.
Their place was in the home under the custody and control of the
master of the house, which would often be the husband or father.
Her job was to take care of the house and family. She had no
vote, could not govern, nor even conduct her own affairs without
the oversight of a man. These are actions viewed as crude and
uncivilized by today’s standards.
However, even during these primitive times of democracy women
were still allowed to be priestesses in Rome. The Vestal Virgins
were honored and revered by men and women alike for their years
of sacrifice and service to the Goddess Vesta. So how is it that
over two thousand years later, the Catholic Church still refuses
to ordain women for service in the Church as priests?
Admittedly, it has been only very recently that most of humanity
has decided to allow women the privilege of being acknowledge as
an equal with men. In fact, it is only within the last century
that American women have been allowed to vote or hold a
political position. However, during this time women’s rights
have made significant advances. Women now work outside the
house, hold political office – even at a national level, have
ready access to equal education, and yes, they even conduct
religious services in many religions.
Even Jewish congregations have women serving as rabbis. In fact,
a woman was recently selected to replace the retiring male rabbi
of a conservative congregation with over 500 families. This is a
first for Conservative Judaism, which ordained its first female
rabbi in 1985.
I have the utmost respect for Scripture and its importance in
society, so I do recognize the passage from the Apostle Paul
requiring women to be silent in churches and saying it is
disgraceful for a woman to speak in church. Paul instructs the
women to wait till they get home to ask their husbands any
questions they may have about the service. (1 Corinthians
14:33-35)
Having acknowledged the importance of Scripture, my reverence
for the Bible, and my knowledge of Paul’s teaching; I now admit
that I vehemently disagree with the sexism of this passage.
I think it is important to recognize the culture from which Paul
is speaking. In fact, Paul was a Roman citizen. He was raised in
the type of backward culture we have already acknowledged as
crude and uncivilized by today’s standards and his remarks on
this subject are no doubt a result of his cultural upbringing.
The Church has always accommodated change as humanity has grown
and matured. Even Pope John Paul II, who passed this week, met
with the leaders of countries who were far from Christian. He
met with Islamic leaders, Jewish leaders, and even rock stars
like Bono from U2. These are all people the Church would have
condemned or even burned at the stake for their heretical
beliefs or ungodly actions during The Middle Ages.
Likewise, it is time for the Catholic Church to mature to the
level of accepting that women are equally viable as a candidate
for priesthood as men. The times of believing women are on a
lesser plane – whether intellectually, socially, or spiritually
– are long over and the Vatican would do well to acknowledge
this fact.
The Church’s churlish remarks on women serving in the role of a
priest are dated and a clear demonstration of the need for a
more progressive Pope that will be more responsive to the
changing times and to the disenfranchised women of the Catholic
Church, whose ministerial participation has dropped
significantly over the last few decades.
I pray the soul of Pope John Paul II finds peace and comfort in
the Kingdom of Heaven. He deserves so much for his sacrifice and
service to the Church and to God,
I also pray the next Pope will override John Paul II’s remarks
on women in the priesthood and allow the Church step into the
21st century. If this happens, perhaps one day we will have a
female Pope. Now that would be something to praise God about.