Women's Ordination Conference: Vatican's 'scare tactics' appalling (Catholic Caucus)

Washington Post ^ | July 17, 2010

[NYer]

Today, Women's Ordination Conference (WOC) Executive Director Erin Saiz Hanna made the following statement in response to the Vatican's announcement that priests who sexually abuse minors, view child pornography, or sexually abuse mentally disabled adults, along with those who ordain women or women who attempt to be ordained, will now be included among the list of "delicta gravioria," or the most serious crimes against church law. The ordination of women is now classified as a "crime against the sacraments," which includes any action that defiles or desecrates the Eucharist.

The Vatican's decision to list women's ordination in the same category as pedophiles and rapists is appalling, offensive, and a wake-up call for all Catholics around the world. This new canonical declaration which names women's ordination as a serious crime against the Roman Catholic Church is medieval at best. The idea that a woman seeking to spread the message of God somehow "defiles" the Eucharist reveals an antiquated, backwards Church that still views women as "unclean" and unholy.

It is clear this recent decision was made out of fear of our growing numbers. The Vatican is using this attempt to extinguish the widespread call for women's equality in the church. In a statement published on May 29, 2008 in L'Observatorio Romano, the Vatican's official newspaper, all women who "attempt ordination" and the bishops who ordain them are automatically excommunicated, known as latae sententiae. Adding delicta gravioria as a scare tactic to already "excommunicated" women and the priests who support us is ridiculous and does not make a bit of difference. Excommunication will not work, and neither will this. In the face of one closed door after another, Catholic women will continue to make a way when there is none.

[Mr. Lucky]

There's a billion protestant sects where you can go and play house.

But not at the Lutheran Church Missouri Synod.

[Gapplega]

You’re correct.

[Tax-chick]

My mother is a Presbyterian (PCUSA, the liberal branch ... although it wasn’t 35 years ago ;-), and she doesn’t like having women pastors. They have a woman associate at her church in Florida, and she gripes when it’s the woman’s turn to lead her Sunday service.

In the Navy, when I was growing up, the Chaplains of all denominations were men. They certainly wouldn’t have put a woman pastor on a deployed warship!

[cmj328]

You think the Pope's scare tactics are scary?

Try God's scare tactics.

[xzins]

It is a crime against church law.

It just might be bad timing.

[SumProVita]

“And women will continue to prophetically answer their call to priestly ordination ...”

If these women could see WHO is calling they would flee in terror!

[verga]

I can’t become a nun as a man, why are they so pissed they can’t become a priest? Get over it, missie. There’s a billion protestant sects where they can go and play house. They need to leave the Catholic Church.

Not so fast there. Four days ago we had this thread.

http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-religion/2552303/posts

[SuziQ]

The problem with these folks is that they are actually members, who consider themselves Catholic, of something called the Women's Ordination Conference. Nothing like beating your head against the wall, huh?

If they truly want to ordain women, there is a denomination that allows that, and they'd be perfectly welcome there. They'd better hurry, though, because it's shrinking fast.

[Gapplega]

WOW~ JUST WOW. I’m speechless. lol.