Why Women Can not Be Priests

Have you ever seen a female priest? Unless we talk about a dream, that is impossible in the real world (at least for the moment). The Catholic Church has relegated the practice of the priesthood exclusively to men.

The reason? It is not clear but there are several theories to justify it. Many people attack this tradition as macho and unfair; nevertheless, the Church maintains that it can not be changed.

Discover why women can not be priests in Catholicism.

This is what Jesus wanted

When he appointed his 12 apostles, there was no woman. All were men and, according to the Church, that decision must be respected. In addition, he argues that men and women are irreducible to the same thing and that each has different but complementary roles and functions to fulfill in this world.

This would leave out the argument of women's priesthood advocates when they claim that sex is irrelevant and that a woman can act in the person of Christ as well as a man.

Christ was a man

Yeah right. I think we all know that. The New Testament priesthood is the priesthood of Christ Himself. And through him men become priests; act in the person of Christ and therefore must be men (at least from the vision of the Church).

You can not change what was built 2,000 years ago

Catholics argue that, however much one may choose, the Church does not have the power to change the substance of a sacrament. For example, a person can not be baptized with wine but only with holy water.

Anything not contemplated in a sacrament automatically makes it something invalid. Thus, in the case of a woman acting in the person of Christ, the Church does not have the authority to validate that act and, therefore, is invalidated.

That is to say, it is not only that the Church does not allow women to fulfill this role but, to grant this position is seen as something illegal (goes against the laws and regulations of the Church) and invalid (ineffective, null and void). effect).

The other side of the coin

There is evidence that some women (obviously in isolated and exceptional cases) were admitted into the priestly ministry. Non-believers cling to this to say that the Church's decision to exclude women is clearly not due to dependence on Jesus' dispositions but rather an excuse to hide prejudice from women.

According to these, the real reasons why women can not be priests are based on myths such as the following:

• Women are inferior (that's why, since Roman times, they could not hold public office).
• The menstrual period constituted a serious risk of contamination for the temple and the altar.
• Women must be separated from men because they are a source of seduction (as Eve was).

In short, we can not deny that many women would be good priestesses, would give great speeches and could even comfort better than a man in the confessional.

But here I do not try to make a fight between men and women but simply put on the table an issue that is increasingly more in question: women and the priesthood. And you, what do you think about it?