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" Now you're campaigning for wymyn's rights? " What is it about women that makes them unsuitable for the papacy or the priesthood?

Here's what you don't get. This is not a political or even a philosophical discussion. It's a theological argument hanging on the Word of God.

The reason that women are not eligible for the priesthood (and by extension the papacy) is because Christ's 12 (or 13) apostles were all men. Coupled with the fact the absence of a statement by Christ that women should be priests and the fact that the Catholic Church has never ordained or endorsed the ordination of women as priests in it's 1950 year history bolsters this.

Your problem is that you are looking at this from a different plane with different boundaries and rules. For us Catholics, Christ is God, and thus authoriative. He didn't have to give reasons for His teachings, but we are obliged to follow them. Of course, most of His teachings jibe very well with what works in practice. His Church, the Catholic Church, through the Pope and the Bishops, has been given "official" authorization to preach and continue teaching. Again, in 90% of the cases, Catholics are obliged to follow these teachings. These teachings pretty much are not up for debate. They're strictly take it or leave it.

The reason that women are not eligible for the priesthood

         You are answering a question I never asked you.
         I didn't say eligible. Eligibility derives from rules
         which can be rooted in anything. We know you have
         your rules. I said suitable. Suitable derives from
        capacities, capabilites, appropriateness.
        What is it that makes women unsuitable for the priesthood?

Coupled with the fact the absence of a statement by Christ that women should be priests....

    The absence of evidence is not evidence for absence.
    Neither did he say the head of 'his church' had to be a male. In that absence of
    that, the only reason for an uninterruped run of male popes is the ancient
    denigration of women by men.

These teachings [rules] pretty much are not up
for debate. They're strictly take it or leave it.

Thank you. They are neither biblical,
rational, or humane. Remember how
Kimball had to go to God and get
a reversal that would allow blacks to
participate in the Mormon church?
He got one, 'teaching' be damned.