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...
None find it curious on the delay of Blessed Olga of Kwethluk, a true North American saint?
ReplyDeleteOne who helped women, children, the abused, in a setting most would not find salubrious?
Nor does hear of Blessed Sophia, spiritual daughter of St. Herman of Alaska
ReplyDeleteFr Gregory. Can you give a link to this Sophia? I know nothing about her.
ReplyDeleteI am always struck that we canonized St Juvanely but not his Athabaskan companion.