The Church's Stance on Women Priests

A few weeks ago, Maria McClain, a 71 year old devout Indiana Christian, was ordained as a priest in defiance of Church law. I had heard of movements to include women in the priesthood, but never did I hear of such radical actions as schism for this cause. Upon further research, Maria is not a unique case. Approximately 10 years ago, a group of three male bishops secretly ordained seven women as priests, some of which were ordained as bishops so they could ordain other women. They pride themselves on being crusaders fighting against unjust, out-dated, patriarchal rules.

Obviously, the Church does not allow women to be priests. Those involved in the above escapades were surely excommunicated from the Church, as they are essentially forming their own church. This movement however has been gaining momentum in recent years. A demand for more priests, due to a lack of male ones, has left many people thinking the next logical move would be to allow women priests. The Church remains adamant in her stance forbidding female priests, and here is why.

The Church will likely never change the rule that there can be no female priests, not because it is a sexist, patriarchal institution, but because it has no authority to do so. The Church recognizes that Jesus chose his first twelve Apostles to use as the foundation for his Church. All twelve of these Apostles were men, and ordained only men to assume their authority. This has been a tradition in the Church held for its entire almost 2,000 year old existence.

For the Church hierarchy to go against Jesus's actions in founding the Church and allow the ordination of women priests, it would be asserting its authority above Christ's. The Church recognizes that she simply has no place to do that. Her hands are tied--maybe it would be beneficial for women to be included in the priesthood, but she has no authority to make that happen.

The priesthood is not a "job", and the Church is not an "employer." If this were so, and the Church picked which people could become priests, it would certainly be discrimination to exclude women. Rather, the priesthood is a calling by God. The Church is in no position to recognize the legitimacy of a woman's calling to the priesthood, as Jesus never called a woman to this position in his ministry.

Technically the Church can change its stance on women priesthood. And for all we know she might. However, theologically, there is no justification for such a move.

Sources:
http://www.wthr.com/story/17413563/indiana-woman-seeks-to-be-ordained-as-roman-catholic-priest

-Shoe