Sr. Vassa: There's no ontological impediment to priestesses
Is the male-only priesthood a discipline or essential to the nature of being a priest? Sr. Vassa (again unflinchingly taking up a contentious topic by climbing up the ladder to the highest platform and then jumping into the deep end head first) dives right in and says there is no reason beyond personal preference to not have female clergy. You know, when people ask me about women in priesthood, they say, 'Sister, why can't women be priests?' And I say, 'Women CAN be priests. We don't WANT them to be priests.' Because you see, God can do anything, and the Church, by divine authority, uh, can do anything, but, the Church doesn't want to - and that's a legitimate reason. What I don't like is when we TRY to pretend that there are other reasons for this, because it's legitimate not to want something, and there are reasons not to want this - right? - but, we shouldn't pretent that there's some... reason, that, for example, the maleness...
I heard a woman speak on Medjugorje many years ago, before I was Orthodox. She was not allowed to speak in the Catholic diocese of Boston and could not use a Catholic church either. I believe that Medjugorge is still not recognized by the Vatican ascauthentic not that that means any thing. There are numerous problems with it. Either a con or occultic in nature are the charges.
ReplyDeleteI can not imagine that anyone who has read about the matter would suggest an Orthodox organization entertain a discussion on the subject. IIRC correctly there is the prayer to convert all of Russia to Roman Catholicism.
ReplyDeleteThe conversion of Russia was part of Fatima and the RCC organization The Blue Army was formed to pray for the conversion of Russia. If I remember correctly Mary's message was about the conversion of Russia to her son, not the RCC.
ReplyDeleteThat is on going. I would not rule out that the sincere and fervent prayers of The Blue Army has something to do with that.