There seems to be a general assumption, especially in Western culture today, that the church's insistence on a male priesthood is an obscure anomaly which endures only because we “the Church” have refused to change with the times. This is true particularly in Europe, but also here in the United States of America where we now have priestesses and bishopesses. In England for example, we now see the growing effort to rewrite the liturgy in order to refer to God as female.
Let us be real! We must remember what we have received from the tradition of the Church (but also the Bible), that Christ made the decision to have an all male Priesthood, which, of course, was instituted the night before he died as the first bishops. These are only the “twelve”, gathered with him at the First Holy Eucharist (Luke 22: 20).
Could Christ have selected a woman among the twelve? Most certainly! If you examine the culture at the time of Christ, clearly pagan religion of his day had priestesses, and it would have been entirely normal for him to choose women for this job.
We remember that he had a number of excellent potential candidates from his own mother, to Mary Magdalene or the women of Bethany. Instead, he chose only men, continuing right to the end to exhort and train them all. From those twelve men a direct line of Apostolic Succession has given our Church the priests and bishops we have today.
Also, remember that there is NO SUCH THING AS A FEMALE PRIEST. It just doesn't exist in the language of the church, from the beginning. A female, even in pagan cultures (I personally know many around the world) or sects has always been referred to as a priestess. Yet, in denominations which practice female ordination, they insist on being called “priest”. Unfortunately, this means that THE CHURCH is no longer the BRIDE and CHRIST is no longer the BRIDEGROOM. The priest, celebrating the Sacraments is no longer doing so in the persona of “Jesus the Son”. Most denominations that have accepted the practice of ordaining women, have also begun a movement of taking ALL gender out of the liturgy. An example of this would be “Our Creator who Art in Heaven” (the preferred method of addressing God in many churches today).
We must also remember that an all male priesthood does not mean a reduction in the role of women in our Church. Women can serve in a variety of crucial posts including those of Warden or parish Administrator. A woman feeling called to a more pastoral role can serve in many other ways from deaconess to teacher.
Peace and blessings!
Fr. Thierry
"For the vision is yet for the appointed time; It hastens toward the goal and it will not fail. Though it tarries, wait for it; For it will certainly come, it will not delay” (Habakkuk 2:3).
