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Pope Francis contemplates appointing a female cardinal
el paĆ­s ^ | 9-23-2013 | Juan Arias

Posted on 09/27/2013 2:17:01 PM PDT by ClaytonP

It’s not a joke. It’s something that Pope Francis has thought about before: naming a woman cardinal. Those who know the pope, both before and after he took over from Ratzinger, say that the first Jesuit pontiff is not only surprising people with his comments, but also with his actions. And this has been happening throughout his first six months in the role.

Those who think that Francis – who has all the simplicity of a parish priest – is a naïve man are wrong. This pope isn’t an ordinary pope. He has come to St. Peter’s with concrete plans for the Catholic Church: he wants to revive Christianity by taking it back to its origins.

The symbolism of his actions began when he first appeared on the balcony at St. Peter’s, calling himself “a bishop” and asking the people to bless him. Since then, he has wasted no time in making unexpected decisions, which have shocked those both inside and outside the Church.

And he will continue to do so, especially with his plans to appoint a female cardinal. He knows that a woman’s role in the Church is an unresolved issue that cannot wait any longer. He was clear about this during his interview with La Civiltà Cattolica last week. “The Church cannot be herself without the woman and her role,” he said. “The woman is essential for the Church. Mary, a woman, is more important than the bishops. I say this because we must not confuse the function with the dignity.”

Some would argue that women are not allowed to be deacons as they were 800 years ago

In other words, it was as if Pope Francis was saying: “The Church isn’t complete because the woman’s role is missing.”

How can he introduce that essential component? He answered the question himself during the interview: “We must therefore investigate further the role of women in the Church. We have to work harder to develop a profound theology of the woman.”

And that theology, according to the pope, cannot be construed within the Vatican’s walls.” The feminine genius is needed wherever we make important decisions,” he said.

He may pave the way with discussions that urgently put the issue of a woman’s role in the Church on the table, or better yet, “in front of the altar.” And one of those gestures could be the naming of the first female cardinal. Is that feat impossible? No, because canonical law states that cardinals don’t have to be priests, they can be deacons.

Some would argue that women are not allowed to be deacons as they were 800 years ago among the first Christian communities. But this is one of the reforms that Francis has in mind; it is not based on any dogma. A woman could become a deaconess tomorrow if he so desired.

As Phyllis Zagano of Loyola University in Chicago, an expert on the issue, wrote: “A female deaconess is not an idea for the future. It is an issue for the present and today.”

Zagano brought up the matter with Cardinal Ratzinger before he became pope. “This is something that is being studied,” he told her. Pope Benedict XVI did not follow through but Pope Francis might.

The Armenian Apostolic Church and the Greek Orthodox Church, which have close links to the Vatican, both have deaconesses.

Any woman who is appointed deaconess can indeed become a cardinal without having to change canonical law.

Cardinals serve as advisors to the pope and their primary function is to elect a new pontiff.

“Knowing this pope, he wouldn’t hesitate before appointing a woman cardinal,” said one Jesuit priest. “And he would indeed enjoy being the first pope to allow women to participate in the selection of a new pontiff.”


TOPICS: Religion
KEYWORDS: cardinaless; cardinals; catholic; deaconess; fbomb; francis; pope; priestess; vatican; womanpriests; womynopriests
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To: 9YearLurker
Infallibility belongs in a special way to the pope as head of the bishops ...

Now wait a ding-dang minute!

I've come away from FR many times after being told it's the MAGISTERIUM's decision making process that's infallible!!

121 posted on 09/29/2013 4:42:45 PM PDT by Elsie (Heck is where people, who don't believe in Gosh, think they are not going...)
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To: Rashputin
Even they recognize how hard it's become to explain away their constant changes of direction in comparison to the Catholic Church teaching today the same things it's taught for nearly two thousand years.

So; what's the ONGOING price of an indulgence these days?

122 posted on 09/29/2013 4:44:23 PM PDT by Elsie (Heck is where people, who don't believe in Gosh, think they are not going...)
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To: Rashputin
The Catholic Church tests everything against Scripture and nothing it teaches can contradict Scripture.

Preach it Brother!

But we're up to take #23.

Can't you put just a little bit more smug superiority in your voice on take 24?



123 posted on 09/29/2013 4:49:25 PM PDT by Elsie (Heck is where people, who don't believe in Gosh, think they are not going...)
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To: NewCenturions
Sad to see so much Catholic bashing.

Dang!

I'm ambivalent in how to decipher this!

124 posted on 09/29/2013 4:51:57 PM PDT by Elsie (Heck is where people, who don't believe in Gosh, think they are not going...)
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To: Revolting cat!; narses
Paradoxically, the angry bashers see themselves as saintly and on the side of the angels.

What?

I've never seen narses claim to be Saintly??

Fibery; yes: Saintly; I don't think so.


And, maybe his frustration with we PROTESTants comes over as angry to some; but don't view him as an angry person.

125 posted on 09/29/2013 4:54:36 PM PDT by Elsie (Heck is where people, who don't believe in Gosh, think they are not going...)
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To: boatbums

Hey!

It ain’t MY fault that the RCC didn’t KILL Luther when they had the chance!


126 posted on 09/29/2013 4:55:27 PM PDT by Elsie (Heck is where people, who don't believe in Gosh, think they are not going...)
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To: Hacksaw
You forgot to ask Jim if you could clap the erasers.

Would this be before or after the comments about JEWS are erased from the board?

127 posted on 09/29/2013 4:57:16 PM PDT by Elsie (Heck is where people, who don't believe in Gosh, think they are not going...)
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To: Deo volente
For some reason it's permitted.

Yes; muzzles should be placed on all those who stand up to Rome!

128 posted on 09/29/2013 4:58:37 PM PDT by Elsie (Heck is where people, who don't believe in Gosh, think they are not going...)
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To: Deo volente
For some reason it's permitted.

Yes; and YOU can say whatever you wish about Jim Jones, Billy Graham, Luther or Tammy and Jim Bakker here; too.


Of course; that would be delving into personalities and NOT theology; so it might get moved to a different area...

129 posted on 09/29/2013 5:00:46 PM PDT by Elsie (Heck is where people, who don't believe in Gosh, think they are not going...)
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To: servantboy777
Is he right or wrong?

The CORRECT answer is YES.


Or maybe NO.

130 posted on 09/29/2013 5:01:37 PM PDT by Elsie (Heck is where people, who don't believe in Gosh, think they are not going...)
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To: Rashputin

So; what you are REALLY trying to say, but can’t, is...


131 posted on 09/29/2013 5:02:35 PM PDT by Elsie (Heck is where people, who don't believe in Gosh, think they are not going...)
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To: Rashputin
Nothing satisfies those who believe in the heresy of Self and Self Alone as others who assure them that, "I'm Ok, You're Ok" and that they're right to claim the same liberty Eve pursued when she adopted the lie of Self above all else.

EVE did?

Where; in the Teaching of Rome; can I find THAT verified?

132 posted on 09/29/2013 5:03:59 PM PDT by Elsie (Heck is where people, who don't believe in Gosh, think they are not going...)
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To: Rashputin
...the same liberty Eve pursued when she adopted the lie of Self above all else.

Eve did NOT hear the command to NOT eat of the tree from GOD; else she would NOT have fallen for the serpent's deceptive question:

"Did God REALLY say....?

133 posted on 09/29/2013 5:05:39 PM PDT by Elsie (Heck is where people, who don't believe in Gosh, think they are not going...)
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To: Rashputin
...the same liberty Eve pursued when she adopted the lie of Self above all else.

Eve did NOT hear the command to NOT eat of the tree from GOD; else she would NOT have fallen for the serpent's deceptive question:

"Did God REALLY say....?

134 posted on 09/29/2013 5:05:49 PM PDT by Elsie (Heck is where people, who don't believe in Gosh, think they are not going...)
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To: Rashputin
Eve did NOT hear the command to NOT eat of the tree from GOD...

You may 'believe' that your chosen church organization has taught you the truth; but how would you KNOW unless you had a HIGHER authority to vouch for it?

135 posted on 09/29/2013 5:07:17 PM PDT by Elsie (Heck is where people, who don't believe in Gosh, think they are not going...)
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To: narses
That open mouth appears to be longing for a new brand of cereal!!



136 posted on 09/29/2013 5:09:12 PM PDT by Elsie (Heck is where people, who don't believe in Gosh, think they are not going...)
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To: Revolting cat!
They don’t make them like they used to, otherwise they’d take care of you Harold Camping missionaries.

HMMMmmm...

Have you made this up on your own; or did your CHURCH teach it to you?

137 posted on 09/29/2013 5:11:21 PM PDT by Elsie (Heck is where people, who don't believe in Gosh, think they are not going...)
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To: Elsie
or did your CHURCH teach it to you?

Did you come up with this yourself, or did a public school teach you to capitalize? If the latter, ask for your money back.

138 posted on 09/29/2013 5:29:38 PM PDT by Revolting cat! (Bad things are wrong! Ice cream is delicious!)
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To: Elsie

The claim is not that popes are without sin, but that they are infallible in theology and positions of the church. (I’m no expert, so that is a rough description.)


139 posted on 09/29/2013 5:55:13 PM PDT by 9YearLurker
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To: Elsie

“Even the ordinarium magisterium is not independent of the pope. In other words, it is only bishops who are in corporate union with the pope, the Divinely constituted head and centre of Christ’s mystical body, the one true Church, who have any claim to share in the charisma by which the infallibility of their morally unanimous teaching is divinely guaranteed according to the terms of Christ’s promises” 1917 Catholic Encyclopedia, Infallibility

(Disclaimer: I am neither Catholic nor expert.)


140 posted on 09/29/2013 6:01:20 PM PDT by 9YearLurker
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