Francis by Patrick J. Marrin for December 08, 2022

She doesn’t want to be put on the spot.

Guess who was in charge of all those homes in the early Christian days when they met in houses to avoid the Roman authorities.

Thems there the patriarchy right there, folks. Men in charge are so obsessed with status and power, they assume that would be the only reason women would want the job. They seem to have forgotten that whole “calling” bit. Is that why Gabby left? Or was it because the “boys” were going to ask her again to do their work for them?

In the New Testament, Phoebe is called a “deacon,” Junia is called an “apostle,” and leaders of the Church in Corinth were Priscilla and Aquila, with Priscilla is usually mentioned first.

Today is the Feast of the Immaculate Conception, a good day to hear some Marian hymns.

The Blessed Mother had the most important role possible in the early church, she bore the Son of GOD! She was the Theotokos (Mother of Jesus/Mother of God). If I was a woman, I would consider that to be an honor over being a lowly priest. If married men who have lost their wives can become Deacons, women can be ordained Deacons.

My eyeball estimate is that 1/3 of the Episcopal clergy is female. All the way from deacons (of which my wife is one) to bishops.

According to a Jesuit study, the Anglican Church, Episcopal Church and possibly the Lutheran Church have Apostolic Succession, that is there is an unbroken line of ordinations of bishops tracible back to St. Peter. If you accept the results of this study, then these sects have a valid priesthood and sacraments.

So there are female deacons, priests and bishops; they’re just not Catholic.

Lest we all overlook the important role of Mary Magdalen

During medieval times there were bishops appointed by the Pope who were not ordained priests. There is no solid scriptural reason a woman couldn’t be appointed an auxiliary bishop, a bishop, or an archbishop.

Women feel “the call” just like men do.

Who anointed Christ at His internment. Who was there first on the day of His Resurrection while the Apostles were in hiding. If you are called, if you are chosen, Serve. NO one has the right to say otherwise. Not the Pope, not the Holy See. NO ONE!

It used to be that female religious had far more authority than they have today. Consider Catherine of Siena, who did so much to end the Great Western Schism, or Hilda of Whitby, who hosted the synod that brought about peace between the native (Celtic) Church and the Roman Church (founded by Augustine of Canterbury) in England. And female writers used to be taken more seriously, too, e.g., Teresa of Ávila and Dame Julian of Norwich.

Notice that in the third panel, when Gabby left she apparently took Mary’s statue with her. Symbolic?

Re the related issue of marriage: Just not Latin Catholic. Remember that Anglican Rite and Uniate (Eastern) Catholic Churches have married priests and deacons, although bishops must be celibate. And the same for Orthodox. All these rites and churches, however, still restrict these roles to men only.

If women were priests would more men go to confession???