Before I get going on the ordination of women, I just want to be clear that I am not against female leaders. In fact, I believe they bring views, experiences, and skills into the world of leadership that complement, and sometimes rival, their male counterparts. However, I am against women and men who try to usurp Jesus’ authority by pushing worldly ideologies, and this article will reflect my position.
Recently, famed author George Weigel wrote an article in which he explained that the synodal conversations on ordination of women were “non-issues” and a waste of time. He defended his position by citing Vatican documents that have already declared that the Church has no authority to ordain women.
I completely agree with Mr. Weigel, and I would simply add that God has been dealing with this problem since the beginning of human history. Genesis 2-3 (RSVCE) gives us a clear account of a similar problem and its consequences for those who oppose God’s will, and it is an excellent parallel for the issue, or “non-issue,” of female ordination.
The Head and His Bride
In Genesis, God creates Adam and places him in the Garden of Eden. He then creates Eve from Adam’s side. God did this to show three things – that Adam and Eve were one flesh with equal dignity, that Adam was the head of Eve (since she came from Adam rather than Adam from her), and that Adam was ultimately responsible for Eve’s and his own actions.
However, as we know, Adam allowed Eve to be the lead communicator with Satan, while he stood quietly in the background. He failed to protect her, Eden, and the human race. He allowed her to take his headship. Then he followed her disobedience and disobeyed God as well.
Adam protected neither his headship nor his bride. Rather, he was complicit in every respect, and humanity will always blame him for man’s fall from grace. As a result of his action and inaction, death entered the world, and God took the right to grace away from all humans. Now we experience suffering, sin, and physical death.
Synodal Musings
Regarding synodal conversations about the ordination of women and other well-settled Church teachings, many in the Church are doing exactly what Eve did millennia ago. They are tempting Christ (the true Head) by doing their level best to cooperate with Satan and destroy the Church.
Their machinations are clearly designed to change the Church’s hierarchical structure and teachings so that the Church (the last Eve) becomes the head of Jesus (“the last Adam”). However, neither the Church nor anyone in it have the authority to do this. Jesus is the head of the Church (Ephesians 5:21-33) and, ultimately, He will put an end to the madness.
Spreading Confusion
In the meantime, unfortunately, clerical assertions, which promote the idea that established teachings are up for debate, only sow confusion and chaos in the Church. Consequently, the duplicitous “members” of the Church and their secular counterparts will find more ways to further spread this confusion.
They do this, in part, by incessantly calling the Church’s teachings and traditions antiquated. “Antiquated” is merely a buzzword for I don’t have an argument, but you need to listen to me anyway. Then those with authority listen to their nonsense, and the confusion spreads. Instead of turning to the Head, they try to engage Satan by themselves, just as Eve did.
I firmly believe this is why St. Paul wrote that in the end times “people will not endure sound teaching, but having itching ears they will accumulate for themselves teachers to suit their own likings and will turn away from listening to the truth and wander into myths” (2 Timothy 4:3-4). They will do this because, without clarity from the world’s largest and solely-authoritative Church, nothing on earth will stand as a contradiction to their rebellious and wayward behavior.
Protecting the Bride
As for the rest of us, Jesus promised that if He did not shorten the final days of false Christs and false prophets, they would lead astray even the elect (Matthew 24:22-24). Therefore, we know Jesus will protect the elect from false prophets. We also know that He will protect His bride, the Church, because, as Jesus states, man cannot tear apart what God has put together (Matthew 19:6; see also Ephesians 5:21-33).
So, the Eves of this current generation are engaged in an unwinnable war. They will strive to tempt the Last Adam and force His hand. But Scripture tells us that God will bring their schemes to light and destroy them. Therefore, Catholics must completely trust, as hard as this may sometimes be, that Jesus will prevail, and the truth will always stand as a contradiction to evil and lies. Jesus will protect his bride from teaching heresies just as He has done for over 2000 years.
Pray For Our Clergy
On a final note, those clergy, from the top down, who promote confusion and error will give an account for their sinful conduct. They will face justice in its purest and most definitive form. Therefore, we need to pray to God that they convert to Christ and stop spreading error. By making non-issues issues, they only harden their hearts and make themselves members of Hell. So, pray for a divine softening to come upon them and for them to teach truth with clarity. And, if you feel moved to do so, please write them. Here is a template to use.
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23 thoughts on “Ordination of Women In the Church”
If I may, I would like to share here an article I wrote about the implications of the literal application, without contextualization, of some biblical prohibitions directed at women, particularly as they relate to the pastoral ministry: https://vidaemabundancia.blogspot.com/2025/04/proibicao-do-pastorado-feminino-i.html?m=0 (The article is in portuguese, but you may activate the automatic translation at the right top menu.)
Though you rightly point out that the snake took advantage of Eve while Adam wasn’t around or stood off in the background, and Adam should have told it off, it’s great but not always the case that the man does all the speaking. Some women are better communicators than their men. Some mothers have a better grasp of a situation and have to tell their husbands how it needs to be read– and this goes much better when the man has faith, and real spiritual leadership. Otherwise he just rebels, resents, and repulses his wife’s “interference.”
Many men get threatened by their wives’ abilities, especially if they married them without appreciating those non-sexual abilities! Because we don’t live in the ideal world. People are all different, and imperfect. We have to remember that St. Joseph had to deal with being the head of a family of the two most perfect human beings ever! Whoa! Our Lady was ever so humble though! That’s so necessary on both spouses’ part.
It’s interesting that in the Holy Family, at the Temple, our Lady was the speaker! And St. Joseph was the original Strong, Silent type!
Though I’m sure he would have told off and beat the dung out of anyone who threatened his family! (within God’s law of course)
Thank you for the information, Nate. Please keep up the good work you are doing in getting badly needed information out there to us.
No problem at all, Michael. God bless!
One person who was giving us classes for those who were interest in joining the Catholic Faith told me that there will be married priests before women priests. Do you believe he has a point? P.S. I joined in 1985. 38 years ago and I’m looking forward to another 38 years.
Hello Michael! These Eastern Rite Catholics (in communion with Rome) have had married priests for, I believe, centuries. Also, disaffected Episcopalian priests are allowed to enter the Catholic Church as priests and maintain their marriages. So, the Catholic Church has allowed married priests for a long time. However, the Roman rite custom is to ordain single men who cannot marry after they become priests. All of this falls under custom, and customs can change.
On the other hand, the Tradition of male-only clergy is a matter of doctrine and it cannot be changed. So, you will never see a validly ordained woman among the ranks of clergy.
Can I add, I do wish our Roman Rite would actively encourage and pursue devout widowers for ordination. Those who have been ordained possess a pastoral knowledge that is incredibly helpful to families, married couples, the dating single, the disaffected youth in our society.
Nate: Thank you for your service and I see we share similar military background. You are quite right that Rome has no authority to ordain women, the sacraments came from the Master Himself. It was already done. There was also the charge to protect His church (people) as in whatever you order on Earth is Ordered in Heaven and whatsoever you Loose on Earth is loosed in Heaven. Live so that Heaven envelopes earth again. I Paraphrased all as you can see, but changed no meaning. You have, though, forgotten Mary. Mary, who by her conscious decision became the portal God chose to be with his people; Mary, who by grace and willing service to God became the new Eve and restored the potential for grace to mankind. By using Mary and appearing to the women followers first on the day of the Resurrection, Jesus restored women and erased the guilt of original sin. Women have been doctors of the Church and saints. We need spiritual guidance and, thus, the Holy Spirit was left with us for all time. God has a plan, of that I am certain. It will be revealed surely. The question of who can bring Christ to a thirsting world is not gender specific.
Thank you for your service as well, Marie! You’re exactly right. Jesus will always protect His Church. However, I did not forget about our Blessed Mother 🙂 Please see my article that CS published on December 8th: https://catholicstand.com/why-mary-is-always-full-of-grace/
God bless!
Thank you both for your service. Marie, you might like my comment below Richard Auciello’s.
Can I also add (sorry, this is such a topic that is near and dear to me), that since I finally met a man I can trust, i realize he is like the older brother i never head, and it gave me a new understanding of this leadership, which should feel completely natural, and should also maintain the respect a superior has for the capabilities and capacity for those under him (in military language). (For example, there are many instances I would not trust his leadership if he did not trust me in my areas of talent and insight. Allowing me to get us out of a corn maze for example, because of my gift for spatial awareness, lol!)
And who was Adam? Created first, he was Eve’s elder brother. And throughout the Old Testament we see the most affectionate marriages expressed with “sibling” endearments, which reflect the disinterested love and mutual care and respect of siblings. Thanks, God bless
I recommend Pope John Paul II’s Apostolic Letter, “Ordinatio Sacerdotalis” to all faithful Catholics. Especially this statement near the end.
“Wherefore, in order that all doubt may be removed regarding a matter of great importance, a matter which pertains to the Church’s divine constitution itself, in virtue of my ministry of confirming the brethren (cf. Lk 22:32) I declare that the Church has no authority whatsoever to confer priestly ordination on women and that this judgment is to be definitively held by all the Church’s faithful.”
These words appear to me to be a very clear and undeniable definition of Faith by Pope John Paul II.
“… the Church has no authority whatsoever to confer priestly ordination on women …. ”
Here then is the simple question that every faithful Catholic needs to understand and answer in their deepest conscience in the presence of God.
In “this judgment [that] is to be definitively held by all the Church’s faithful”, did Pope John Paul II 1) define a doctrine of faith or morals, 2) that is to be held by the universal church?
Do notice the importance of the issue, despite some claims I’ve heard over he years to the contrary. If a woman cannot be ordained, because the Church has no authority to do that, then those in error and following that error have deprived themselves of the Mass and the Eucharist!
I urge all interested Catholics to carefully read the first Vatican Council’s definition of the “The Infallible Magisterium of the Roman Pontiff”, as a vital aid in coming to a decision on this issue, since that is something else that all Catholics are to believe with the assent of Faith.
Thank you, Jame! I couldn’t agree more.
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Let’s go back to the “Last Supper.” What is the most significant thing that happened that night according to Catholic Tradition (and Doctrine)? Those who are not ignorant of our Faith understand that (1) the Eucharist was created, and (2) the Apostles (only those sitting at table) were ordained into the priesthood. There were no women ordained by Jesus into the priesthood, nor has there been any such ordination in over two thousand years in our Holy and Catholic Church. Surely, had Jesus wanted woman in the priesthood, he would have ordained his most blessed mother!
Thanks Richard! You’re exactly right. And to buttress your argument, the Council of Nicaea, Canon 19, states (see especially the last sentence), “Concerning the former Paulinists who seek refuge in the catholic church, it is determined that they must be rebaptized unconditionally. Those who in the past have been enrolled among the clergy, if they appear to be blameless and irreproachable, are to be rebaptized and ordained by the bishop of the catholic church. But if on inquiry they are shown to be unsuitable, it is right that they should be deposed. Similarly with regard to deaconesses and all in general whose names have been included in the roll, the same form shall be observed. We refer to deaconesses who have been granted this status, for they do not receive any imposition of hands, so that they are in all respects to be numbered among the laity.
Yes, and Mary Magdalene who loved Him so deeply. But He did not, because women have other gifts clearly we offer to God and the Church. Venerable Fulton Sheen gave a beautiful and much needed reflection on the equity between man and woman in his classic The World’s First Love.
Such that it is not just because of Mary that women deserve honor, but that Mary is already Blessed among women, because they are “the glory of man” as St. Paul declared. And not in the hollow way of Islam but in a totally new, CHRISTIAN understanding of women in God’s creation.
Though, Nate, I have to admit that it took 2000 years for men to get many things right about human anthropology that our Lord Jesus Christ recreated and redeemed, such as slavery taking 17-1800 years for Christian men to denounce en masse. CaptKirk down there in the comments, as repulsive as he is, carries a point in his first two paragraphs.
“However, as we know, Adam allowed Eve to be the lead . . while HE stood quietly in the background. He failed to protect HER, Eden, and the human race. He allowed her to take his headship. Then he followed her disobedience and disobeyed God as well.”
We definitely need a third gender to throw their hat in the ring.
Lol!!! Hilarious, OP!
You & George Weigel are absolutely correct.
And over my (just shy of) 65 years, I have known very few women (other than some in the Church’s employ) hankering for ordination. I believe that it is a position failing to see the grandeur of God’s plan for marriage & family.
You are spot on, Joe! Thanks!
There is nothing specifically Christian about male headship. It is simply the anthropology of a prescientific age.
The Church has shown a great deal of creativity over the centuries in inventing reasons why women cannot be priests. 1. They were too stupid. 2. They were morally weak. 3. Only pagans had priestesses. 4. Their presence caused men to stumble. 5. Evil enters the human race through women. 6. Women’s role is to follow, not lead. 7. They should be busying themselves with procreating and childrearing. 8. Menstruation made them too impure to be at the altar. 9. Women priests violate some kind of rule of “complementarity”.
The most recent formulation (Inter Insigniores) is that the Church is the Bride of Christ, and the priest stands in the place of Christ. Which means that the priest is not part of the Church. Which makes no sense. When this is pointed out the only response one gets is “Because the Vatican said so!” One reason so few Catholics today agree with a male-only priesthood is because no back-and-forth dialog is permitted.
This is quite a different picture than we get from the first years of Christianity, where women were apostles (Romans 16:7), were pastors (2 John 1), and prophesied (1 Cor. 11:5).
You clearly don’t have possession of your senses!