Letter to the Editor
Women in the Catholic Priesthood
Issue date: 5/4/10 Section: Commentary
Audrey Ford's article on the impossibility of the ordination of women to the ministerial priesthood does not adequately address the Church's teaching on the matter. Miss Ford correctly notes that priests are 'icons' of Christ, the eternal High Priest. However, she fails to mention that Christ's relation to the Church is spousal: He is the Bridegroom and the Church is His Bride. For this reason, maleness is inseparable from the priesthood. This does not diminish women or the distinctive role they play in the Christian community; on the contrary, one need only look at the calendar of saints to see what holy women inspired and influenced the Church. St. Catherine of Siena, for instance, miraculously cured people of the plague, and talked the Pope into returning to Rome from Avignon. It is a mistake to say that, because women cannot imitate Christ in His priesthood, therefore they cannot imitate Christ at all, and are somehow inferior to men. Rather, we are all made in the image and likeness of God, and are called to serve Him according to the gifts he gave us.
Emmett Hall
Philosophy and Letters Major
Class of 2011
Emmett Hall
Philosophy and Letters Major
Class of 2011
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