Nancy's ready!
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.”
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.”
Similar things have been writter about every new pope except Benedict. Benedict missed all the hopey changey press because he was Cardinal Ratzinger before he was Pope Benedict.
He's been made aware of it. Not only does he let it stand, but removes comments protesting it.
Then management wonders why it takes 3 months to attain fundraising goals.
Keepin' it classy.
The used to be nuns.
And if the pope says otherwise, is it not otherwise?
They still haven’t put a woman in this role, you just read a stupid article. Nothing actually happened.
See #22 before he/she scurries that away also.
This is not a blog, but one of the highest circulation newspapers in Spain and Latin America.
Technically speaking you do not even need to be a priest to be a cardinal. The most notorious instance was Cesare Borgia, whose father was Pope.
But the days of the Borgias are past. They were a scandal to the Church. This particular appointment was legal, but clearly not in the Church’s interest.
In other words, it would be legally possible, I suppose, to name a woman a Cardinal, although she could not be made even a Deacon. But I think it would be exceedingly unwise. The historical precedents are not really favorable.
As others have already pointed out, this sounds like another media speculation or smear.
Agreed. That is why I said “they beleive it to be Biblical”
Its not a blog
By the time the media is done picking apart a 12,000 word interview they are going to have the Pope signing treaties with the devil!
The liberal media has everything to gain by twisting the words of the Pope! Let’s face it...articles like this are designed to shock, cause confusion, and drive people away from basic moral truths.
If you think for one hot second the liberal media is going to trumpet something good about the Catholic Church or God, I have a first class ticket for you in hell.
Yeah and I bet you take believe every word or opinion you read in the New York Times too!
I'd like to see such nonsense allowed to remain on FR if the subject was Judaism etc.
This admin moderator need to be fired ASAP.
Of coarse not, but someone was trying to get this thread deleted for being a blog.
Admin Moderator was simply doing his job. He removed your post as “gratuitous language.” You may wish to find a better way to voice your objections.
Yet "admin moderator" and a others deem it appropriate for discourse on FR.
What's worse is that they expect to be given on second of consideration by anyone with an IQ above their age. FR wants, paradoxically, to be taken seriously while allowing nonsense like this.
Okay, whatever. Have fun at the next FReepathon.
Signed - former monthly donor.
I thought this was something interesting to post.
If it is offensive then delete away.
The paper’s ideology has always been defined by a leaning towards Europeanism. Politically, it is situated in the centre-left and the left.
Admin Moderator did not deem it anything. Stuff gets posted here for criticism too, you know. Criticize away.
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