The World I See in You

My second, spiritual/cultural related post...

"I don't believe in politics, no heavy handed moralists

Right wing supremacists, lame brain rhetoric

Cultural genocide, judgment from the justified

Your world isn't there."

This sounds a lot better with the music, and is from Margaret Becker's "The World I See In You." Unlike me she was born Roman Catholic. Like me, she returned to the Catholic church for a reason.

I actually had this long, convoluted essay in which I attempted to explain 1) why the Roman Catholic Church IS gender-biased and 2) why this matters to the rest of the world.

But I'm still trying to figure this one out, past the bitterness and Other-bashing. I can't lie, I know that of course women can be priests. The ability to be like Jesus is not restricted in any sense to gender or economic status or class or heritage. And ordained ministers are visible signs for the good of the people they serve. Those are the bare facts. The Truth unchangeable. Because it is literally not possible to convince me otherwise.

 

My concern is that the former pope, who from what I can make out was brilliant and meant well and REALLY wanted to present bodily difference as morally significant, in the process said something incorrect. I know this is often painted as an attempt to hold onto power and in a sense, I'm sure it was - just as any decent but prejudiced person might defend, say, slavery as necessary for the good of society while honestly believing it is not demeaning to slaves to be in a sense owned by another human person.

So now people are under some kind of delusion that women can't be priests not for any rational reason, or even just because that's the way it's always been done, but because God says so. People feel morally compelled to accept this and if they deny it, think that God will be angry with them. This is exactly the kind of attitude that led decent people to concede in the murder of Jesus and early Christians.

I find it troublesome that anyone thinks they are in a position to say what God can't do, ever, apart from actions contrary to God's nature. God would never tell people to commit genocide, and that is why I don't take that part of the Old Testament literally. Also, God would never lie. God will never tempt people. I can think of a lot of things I know God would never do, and I can comfortably say God won't do that.

But God would never allow a woman to represent His Son as a minister? It simply is not possible? The Church is not authorized by God to choose their own representatives? The Church MUST accept the ruling of 'God' on this matter? The Church is authorized to choose non-Jewish men, and only celibate non-Jewish men with functional male parts intelligent and educated enough to go through seminary. But the Church is not authorized to choose women?

I understand - maybe it is a bad idea, maybe now it is not the time, maybe people are not ready. That I get. But honestly, the more I pray about it, the more it seems to me like the very adamant stance the former pope took is proof that this is something that really bothered him. It is a lot like me when I've struggled with an idea that I really don't want to accept, and you make that one last stand. No. It cannot possibly be true. Because. It just can't.

I'm Catholic and I believe in the doctrines of the Church (as opposed to its administrative and liturgical decisions, even when 'the Church' is SURE those things = official, theological doctrine, like oh, the earth being flat and that Galileo was therefore a heretic for being scientifically honest.) So, I am praying to Blessed Pope John Paul II who I believe can hear me right now. Karol, my beloved brother. Pray for us. You are in heaven where everything is clear and know what you were thinking then and what you are thinking now. So help me connect the dots here because I really want to know. I ask that in Jesus' Name. 

And as always wish all our people all the very best, and for the truth, and for justice. If there is something I'm still not seeing that seems relevant, help me to see it. Anyone. I really will try to be teachable in terms of why, maybe, women's ordination is something that can wait a few decades, or until this present world is done. It's just the whole Because God Said So and it can Never Change thing weirds me out. Our Creator gave us our lives, gave us free will, gave us intellect, and He wants us to use them.

Much love always.

Anne