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 looked at the video and this seems to not be an image from it. https://youtu.be/8Iruq7b34xI The priest did a 30 minute set at 7am to wake pilgrims who were sleeping on the beach. It was two hours before the mass and music after was much more traditional. Same with the music at the actual Papal Mass.
ReplyDeleteApparently this priest has a side hobby of DJing in clubs with music with a religious character and has brought a number of people into the church through it. He also goes to football games and prays with players. If this was an orthodox musician like Fr Chris Foley performing at an Orthodox youth retreat, I would see most people praising it.
It's from a different set he did. He did multiple ones.
DeleteThis particular photo was not from the recent World Youth Day...if you're going to bash the Catholic Church, can you at least be accurate and do a little more research beforehand?
ReplyDeleteI had to poke around and find the context of this as well - perhaps our host will give us a bit more next time.
ReplyDeleteThis is a priest in Portugal who DJ's (somewhat seriously and successfully apparently) and it is claimed that through this he is a effective evangelical who brings in young people into the church. I don't really believe it. Sure, he might get sincere but shallow (and non lasting) interest from those looking to satiate yet-another-desire ("hey, this Catholicism is cool!"), but Christianity is a Cross, not a party in the end (and the beginning, and the middle...).
Jake, I suspect the success is more reaching people in secular areas, (ie like people who were inspired by Classical Music, U2, Coldplay, Cohen, Cornell, etc.. to look look for God) or showing that someone can be "cool"/like me and Christian. I assume/hope that his actual liturgical expression and spirituality preached is serious and deep.
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