Rome's Position on Women's Ordination

The official church does not seem to recognize that women are equal in Christ. In 1976, experts of the Pontifical Biblical Commission determined that there were no scriptural reasons preventing women’s ordination. The Congregation for the Doctrine of Faith overturned the commission’s judgement and instead wrote its own statement (Inter Insigniores, 1976) stating that women do not image Jesus who was a man; and therefore only male priests can adequately represent Christ.

Rome has closed its ears to objections and dissent from theologians, bishops, scholars and lay people and has told bishops to suppress any more discussion of the issue. The Congregation for the Doctrine of Faith said bishops should refuse ". . . any support to people who, either as individuals or as groups, defend the priestly ordination of women, whether they do so in the name of progress, of human rights, compassion or for whatever reason it may be" (Letter 1983).

In 1994 John Paul II wrote an apostolic letter (Ordinatio Sacerdotalis) stating that the subject of women’s ordination to the priesthood is no longer open to debate. This was followed by Ad Tuendam Fidem (1998) and its official commentary which appears to excommunicate dissenters. However, after an outcry from the people, or perhaps dissent from bishops, the meaning of this latest edict remains somewhat unclear. J. Augustine DiNoia, OP, member of the doctrine committee of the US Conference of Bishops, stated that many are under the mistaken impression that women’s ordination cannot be discussed publicly. To the contrary, DiNoia said, such debates are necessary to a fuller understanding of the gift that ordination is to the church, and would be approved by the Holy Father. (March 1999).