Women were ordained in the early church. For example, Phoebe, a deaconess, is singled out for praise by Paul-- not exactly known as a feminist kind of guy. And of course early priests were married, too. The Church has betrayed this Christian tradition and its own history by insisting on a heirarchy made up only of men trying to be celibate. The excuse you always get is that priests have to be men because Jesus chose men to be apostles. Well, Jesus chose Jewish fishermen and tradesmen, and the Church doesn't insist on that. Having a Y chromosome is equally irrelevant.
As a person who was raised Catholic-- CAtholic schools and an excellent Jesuit college-- I have seen first-hand the damage done when the Church restricts the priesthood to men, and to men who think they can manage celibacy.
Vatican II said "The Church is the peope of God." The Church's priesthood should reflect that. Especially because the US bishops have said that sexism is a sin.
My choice has been to worship elsewhere-- I can't deal with the hypocrisy of the Catholic church anymore. But as a cultural CAtholic, I cheer on this wonderful woman and others trying to change the church from within, or through splinter groups.
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Is there anything else you wish people knew?
It's important to me that people see that I did what the men do who prepare for the priesthood. I took that traditional path. I got my master's of divinity. I was a deacon for 10 months. I just wish more Catholics who find themselves alienated from the church could find a church home. If the ECC could be that church home for them, I'd be so excited for them.
© 2007
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