In recent years, the Roman Catholic Church has received an abundance of criticism from both outsiders and the Catholic faithful. It has come not only in response to appalling misconduct from clergymen, but as opposition to official church teachings. 

Among these is the church’s position against ordaining women, which has been its official stance for its entire history.

Ever wondered why you have never seen a female priest in a Catholic church? It is because they are literally not allowed to become one. This has come up again and again as a contentious issue. One grassroots organization, called the Women’s Ordination Conference, has been advocating for women to be allowed to enter the priesthood for fifty years.

The pressure placed on the Vatican is especially high since Roman Catholicism is the largest religious denomination in the world, with more than 1 billion followers.

Let’s get one thing out of the way: The Catholic Church does not teach that women are inferior to men. This may seem contradictory to excluding women from ordination, but the Catholic worldview does not see it that way. Women are declared to be equal in dignity with men, possessing equal rights.

Both men and women are made in God’s image and may inherit His Kingdom. The Catholic worldview asserts that men and women are made different, but complementary. 

For example, men are physically stronger, but women nurture life with their bodies. This complementary nature is said to come to full fruition in marriage, with husband and wife coming together as two halves of a whole and starting a family. This is critical to the Catholic view of gender. 

This view can be seen as antiquated by many, especially since our contemporary understanding of gender is separated from biological sex. Although some Church Fathers have made sexist remarks reflective of their times, this has not dictated canon doctrine regarding gender.

It also does not help that some influential male Catholic creators and influencers have made overtly sexist comments, making it easy to confuse the ramblings of an individual with official church teaching.

The biblical case against the ordination of women largely comes down to one passage in the New Testament. In Chapter 2 of the first book of Timothy, Saint Paul tells his student, “I do not permit a woman to teach or to have authority over a man, but to be in silence. For Adam was formed first, then Eve. And Adam was not deceived, but the woman being deceived, fell into transgression.” This passage, according to Catholic tradition, is stating a prohibition against women teaching men through the role of an ordained minister. Women are allowed to teach men in other circumstances, however.

The Vatican asserts that they are not only forbidden to ordain women, but that it is impossible to do so. It is commonly stated by apologists that, just as the bread and wine of the eucharist can only be made from wheat and grapes, respectively, a priest can only be male. This does not make rice inferior to wheat, or apples inferior to grapes.

Some apologists point to the church’s Consecrated Virgins, distinct from nuns in that they do not live within a cloister or take a vow of poverty, and who can only be women, as proof that women are valued equally within the church. However, it is worth noting that there are less than 5,000 Consecrated Virgins in the world, while the United States alone has over 37,000 Catholic Priests. In addition, Priests have power and influence within and outside of their congregations that Consecrated Virgins do not possess.

Ultimately, this prohibition cannot be lifted without hundreds of millions of Catholics losing their faith. When the Second Vatican Council affirmed that Mass can be held in people’s native tongues, rather than Latin, some were outraged.

Vatican II also instituted other changes meant to make the faith more accessible in modern times, such as permitting priests to face the congregation during the eucharistic prayer. These changes did not contradict previous canon doctrines or alter any core beliefs. 

Nonetheless, some became so outraged by the changes that it spawned an entirely new Christian sect called Sedevacantism, which claims that all Popes following Pius XII are invalid. To change what the church teaches about the nature of the priesthood, which is critical to Roman Catholic doctrines and practice, would tear the church apart from the inside.

Catholic Apologist Joe Heschmeyer, in his July 2024 video “Why the Church Can’t Ordain Women,” said: “If the church were tomorrow to declare women’s ordination is valid, it would be declaring itself no longer the church of Jesus Christ. It’d be declaring the 2000 years of tradition invalid. It would be denying something taught infallibly. And so we know that the future does not include a female priesthood in the Catholic church.” It is abundantly clear that this is not a flexible tradition that can change with the times.

Perhaps more people would feel content with the status quo if they were presented with any actual limitations a woman would have that would keep her from fulfilling the role of a priest, related to her biology. There have been no such sound explanations for excluding women from the clergy. There are only sentiments about the “rightful order” of things, and dubious claims about female psychology.

Nothing about the liturgy or administering sacraments can obviously only be performed by a male body. It is also not because men are better people, and thus more worthy. Men are considered being equally capable of sin, and women equally capable of virtue.

The prohibition against ordaining women is not based on empirical evidence about the difference in abilities between men and women. It is not even based on logic, apart from references to scripture. It is a religious dogma. That is why the church cannot change its stance.

The Roman Catholic Church has existed for nearly two millennia, standing firm like an ancient building and weathering countless storms to be here in the 21st century. In the modern age, the Vatican has never changed its stance on birth control, abortion, same-sex marriage or any other official teaching that set the Church in opposition to the broader culture.

Whether you agree with the Vatican on these issues or not, one must admit that seeing an organization hold steadfast to its tenets without backpedaling is refreshing. In a world where politicians flip-flop on issues and mindlessly pander all the time just to get the vote, it is oddly reassuring for there to be one institution that does not change its doctrines to fit in with the rest of the world. The church has spoken, and her words are clear. At the very least, those who disagree with the church on fundamental issues can know with confidence that Catholicism is not for them.

Any self-proclaimed Roman Catholic who sincerely objects to the church’s doctrines should just look themselves in the mirror and face the facts: You are a Protestant. There is no need to worry, though, because you’re far from alone. There are many denominations to pick from to suit your specific interpretation of Christianity. I have been told that Presbyterians are quite friendly.

Share