Francis
Tolu’ Elusiyan (elusiyantolulope@gmail.com)
It is pertinent to note that among the most vocal
controversies that have attacked the Catholic Church since the 20th
and 21st century has been the question of the priestly ordination of
women. This attack is as a result of the “ordination” of women among the
protestant denomination, which have brought serious concern on the teachings of
the church on all-male priesthood. Some women activists and feminists claim
that the ordination of women folks is a matter of justice, since women are
parts and parcel of the mankind creation of God and also part of the human
society at large. Thus they are of the opinion that the church’s refusal to
adhere to the voice of the women devalues womanhood.
The teaching of the church does not mean that women
are less important, since they are not allowed to be admitted to the
‘presbytera’. Far from it! Rather, issue concerning women ordination is not valid.
Some woman activist further hold on to their claim against the church, some
women were ordained as priest. On the other hand, the church again, corrects
that this practice was only practiced by the Gnostics and was condemned by the
church fathers as unacceptable.
The church further gives its position on the issue
during the council of loadicea. The fathers of the church in one accord
disagreed on it, since, for them, masculinity was integral to the personhood of
both Jesus Christ, who is the messiah, and the men he chose as apostle. St. John
Paul II adds in his Ordination
sacerdotalis that the priesthood of Jesus is a special role which Jesus
himself sets when after praying in the desert decided to choose twelve men out
of the group of male and female followers (Cf Mk 3:13-14); and also when the
apostles decided to replace Judas, they were also careful in the choice of
their successors (Mt 10:1, 7-8)
Additionally, on May 29, 2008 in the Vatican
Newspaper, L’Osservatore Romaria,
there was a decree that was promulgated by Cardinal William levada; he declares
the ban of women, and also added that both the women “priests” and the bishop
who performed the rite should be excommunicated from the church.
St. John paul II in 1994 stated in his ordination Sacedotalis that “therefore,
in order that all doubt may be removed regarding matter of great importance, “I
declare that the church has no authority whatsoever to confer priestly
ordination on women and that the judgment is to be definitively held by all the
church’s faithful” (No4)
It is important to note that the statement of John Paul
II is not infallible, but it witness to the teaching which have been handed
down from the apostolic foundation.
It is not as though the catholic church has no regards
for sexes, that is, male and female, as many some women activist will accuse,
rather it is true and factual that the ordination of men is an unbroken
tradition, just as the catechism of the catholic church states, “only baptized
man (vir) validly receives sacred ordination, since the lord chose men (viri)
to form the college of the tweleve apostles and the apostles in turn did the
same when they chose collaborators to succeed them in their ministry”.
(CCC1577) (also cf CIC N1024).
Pope Francis in his document Evangeli Gaudium states that only men can be priest, but women must
have voice in the church. Also, that the church will not change its teaching on
the position on the inadmissibility of women priests; following the injunction
of the catechism of the catholic church which states that “the ordained
minister is, as it were, an ‘icon’ of Christ the priest” (ccc1142), which means
that an intrinsic part of this sacrament of Holy order is to re-enact the
manhood of Christ.
In addition, it is necessary to note that the
restriction of Holy orders to men alone does not denigrate the role of women in
the church because their voices must he heard just like great female saints in
history such as St. Theresa of Avila, Cecilia, and so on. St. John Paul II
emphasized in his apostolic letter that the presence and role women played in
the life and mission of the Catholic Church, remains absolutely necessary and
irreplaceable, although it is not linked to the ministerial priesthood (No3).
In conclusion, the church recognizes herself to be
bound by the choice made by Jesus Christ himself when he chose twelve men and
commission them. Thus, the ordination of women as priest becomes invalid. The
movement advocating for women ordination in the Catholic Church will not yield
any result since the Catholic Church cannot change its doctrine and still
remain the Catholic Church.
