More On The Ordination Of Women And Celibacy For Catholic Clergy

To the Editor:

Continuing the dialogue on the ordination of women and optional celibacy for Roman Catholic clergy:

I am delighted that a good, caring, faithful and intelligent individual has joined our latest dialogue in The Newtown Bee regarding the ordination of women and optional celibacy for all clergy of the Roman Catholic tradition. This discussion may seem limited to RC’s mainly because most Protestant traditions celebrate both women’s ordination and optional celibacy for their clergy. On the other hand, interested members of such denominations might want to help enlighten those of us who have enjoyed little opportunity to speak out, beyond a whisper, in these questions that will continue to have a powerful impact on other issues central to the sacramental life of Roman Catholicism and to Catholics of other persuasions.

In the March 24 edition of The Bee, Tom Davis pours a litany of “Males Only Need Apply” statements which, after 800-plus words, all add up to an exhaustive list of “non-sequiturs.” For any reader not hip on the Latin tongue or philosophical lingo, it means that one thought does not logically follow to the next. Let me be very clear that I am not resorting to an “argumentum ad hominem” here, for Tom is a reputable person as well as a Latin aficionado. I would gladly walk alongside him in a “pro-life” march, share the sacrament of Eucharist with him at every turn, and truly enjoy the presence of Yahweh, together with him, in prayer. On the issue, at hand, however, I would encourage him to expand his choice of reading, particularly in the area of church history, and to find a decent commentary on the Sacred Scriptures.

In addition, regarding the choice of The Newtown Bee as a venue for discussing different opinions of the people, Tom thinks such to be inappropriate. On the contrary, what better place, when any ecclesiastical forum is “out of bounds” for such discussion? Who is so naïve as to think that such dialogue could take place in diocesan newspapers or parish bulletins? Nevertheless, I envision the day when we can all sit down and speak with conviction from our hearts (as Tom did…) without playing games (the meaning of “ludicrous” which seemed to have offended Tom is from the Latin – “ludus” = game); and that is precisely what heads of churches and states alike have been doing with us for centuries. Consider days in the distant past when common folks such as ourselves could post our opinions on the village bulletin board, or on some very special occasion, on the very doors of the church itself.

Tom’s response was saturated with articles from the New Catholic Catechism which offers a wealth of  information but also spews out many of the reactionary statements of the Catechism of the Council of Trent, ewtn.com, “Opus Dei,” and scriptural passages that are out of context with the issues at hand, namely “women’s ordination” and “mandatory celibacy for the clergy.” He merely regurgitated a number of citations which, admittedly, make for good spiritual reading but have little relevance for this conversation. A much clearer vision than this may be found in Fr Richard McBrien’s Catholicism. McBrien’s columns, by the way, have also been banned from all diocesan newspapers in Connecticut. Tom’s presentation of Mary, the Mother of Jesus, as the best example of “one passed over” for priestly ordination (his conclusion being, ergo, no woman should be ordained) does not hold water, especially holy water. Mary is, in my opinion, the “model priest.” Was it not she who first brought Jesus into the human community? And this is the crux of the issue. Women can effect the Eucharist as well as any  man. Such “consecration of the elements” and making the sacramental presence of the Christ available to people everywhere ought not be limited by gender issues. May we all continue to do what Mary did – namely, to bring Jesus to others. In closing, I would only reiterate my statement that some churches do not allow a woman nor someone married to a woman to be ordained. Such poor vision! Join the discussion. Peace!

The Rev Leo McIlrath

Corpus Christi, a catholic community

13 Sugarloaf Road, Sandy Hook                                   March 28, 2000