6. Church Authority Under the Hand of God

An Argument Against Priestesses

"The Church has the lawful authority to call both men and women to holy orders."

No, the Church herself is restrained by the practice of the Lord and his apostles. As with the few Anglican Bishops who might have authentic orders, any women they attempt to ordain would not be priests, and any Masses they celebrate would not convey the sacrifice of Calvary, no matter what their intentions. Not even all men are deemed worthy of holy orders, not to mention women. Short of a miraculous revelation from heaven, the Catholic Church would never so jeopardize the sacraments for her people.

"Indeed, the Church has already used this authority at the Council of Jerusalem; circumcision was replaced with the more inclusive rite of baptism as the means of initiation into the People of God, thus opening the door to women's ordination."

The issue of the Gentile inclusion in the Church and the equality of men and women in grace is furthered by the replacement of circumcision by baptism. It has nothing at all to do with ordination and/or the charisms in the Christian community. Baptismal priesthood, the general call to share in Christ's self-offering, is different from the ordained priesthood, a sacerdotal ministry of leadership in which the Mass is offered and sins are forgiven.

"Just as the apostles knew nothing of the Marian dogmas, the Church can also use its jurisdiction to legislate in favor of women priests."

Huh? Are you denying these, too? How many more ingredients are you going to throw into the mix? I hate to burst your bubble, but the long-standing tradition of the Church would hold otherwise; or are you a Protestant "sola scriptura" critic? The Church made dogmatic merely what East and West had long believed. Did not the apostles witness this miracle of Mary's dormition and assumption? Why else are there no relics of Mary? The Church did not make it up-- she inherited this truth of faith. Mary is declared by the Scriptures as "full of grace" and she acclaims that the Lord is her Savior as early as the Visitation. Church fathers would speak of her as the pure vessel through which her Son would enter the world. Similarly, the male-only priesthood goes all the way back to Jesus. It was also an apostolic teaching and practice. The male is the icon of Christ in the priesthood. His very flesh, including his sexuality, resonates with Christ's in perfect harmony, making the Lord and his saving activity present. When at the altar, the same sacrifice of Calvary is re-presented by the priest "in persona Christi."

"I must still insist that if Pope Pius XII can infallibly define the Assumption, then it is silly to maintain that he does not have the power to ordain females."

Infallibility cannot be used in an arbitrary fashion. If Christ did not want women to be ordained priests, the Pope cannot make it so. In this instance, your letter would seem to posit the Bishop of Rome with more authority and power than he actually has-- at least as long as it would rule in your favor. The Pope's recent statement demands religious assent of all Catholics. Nevertheless, you protest. Would you recant your error if he made it fully dogmatic? Or, have you already become your own Magisterium?

"A living tradition has room to grow and change; women's ordination is part of this growth."

Yes, tradition is a living process. But, as Cardinal Newman tells us, it is also organic, coming from a seed planted by the Lord in the Apostolic community. As such there are restraints, just as an apple seed grows into an apple tree, and not into a rabbit. You would try to grow rabbits. Some tradition, and the revelation it communicates, goes back to the earliest days of the Church. The Marian dogmas are among these. Marian dogmas may not be explicitly taught from the Scriptures, but a nucleus might be detected there, and in any case, they are in harmony with the Word of God.

"Speaking of Mary, we call upon her as 'full of grace,' does this not show something of the dignity and worthiness of women for holy orders?"

It does not apply. Mary was not an ordained priest. If God had wanted women to be priests, he would certainly have given this gift to the Mother of God. He did not. What it does mean is that all men and women, through baptism, use of the other sacraments, and faithful discipleship, can become like Mary, full of grace. In other words, she is our model for holiness, not priestliness. It is possible for us all to be saints; indeed, this is our most essential vocation. It should not be confused, by men or women, with a summons to holy orders.

"The power of the keys of the kingdom given to Peter and the Church would be sufficient to allow women priests."

This is the same business as already discussed. Again, when all else fails, lie, lie, lie. The keys belong to Peter, but you would wrestle them away for your own purposes. In any case, Christ is the door. The Church can no more make women priests then it can disown the Eucharist or the resurrection. And as for continuity with the apostolic tradition-- it is entirely on the side of a male-only priesthood. You prove nothing to the contrary from the Apostolic and Patristic witness. You cannot. The doctrine of the Church is intact. If anything here is defective, it is your pernicious battle against the Holy Spirit and your repugnant argumentation that attacks the shepherds established by Christ. Give it up. Say your prayers. Be faithful. Adhere wholeheartedly to the commandments and precepts of the Church. Respect the Holy Father and confess to a priest your maligning him and the Church as murderers. [This critic actually made this claim in one of his posts!] The Church will not abandon the male-only priesthood, because the Church will not abandon the truth.