POPE FRANCIS REITERATES FOR THE HUNDRETH TIME THAT WOMEN CANNOT BE ORDAINED TO HOLY ORDERS--NO TO WOMEN PRIESTS!

 

This is what the National Catholic Register writes about it:

In an interview published in America magazine today, Pope Francis unequivocally stated that women cannot be ordained as priests but emphasized the important role they have to play in the life of the Church. 

Question: “Many women feel pain because they cannot be ordained priests. What would you say to a woman who is already serving in the life of the Church but who still feels called to be a priest?” asked Kerry Webber, executive editor of the monthly magazine published by the Jesuits of the United States.

The Holy Father was unequivocal on the question of the ordination of women priests:

“And why can a woman not enter ordained ministry? It is because the Petrine principle has no place for that,” the Pope said.

“The ministerial dimension, we can say, is that of the Petrine Church. I am using a category of theologians. The Petrine principle is that of ministry,” the Holy Father said.

READ THE FULL NATIONAL CATHOLIC REGISTER ARTICLE HERE

 My comment:  Of course, the Holy Father goes on to describe what women can do and wants to develop that theology based upon the Marian principle. And in my most humble opinion, that is a great idea! 

With the Marian Principle the Holy Father seems to imply also the anthropological way as well. It is based upon the Church as feminine, referred to as "Mother" and as "her."This of course, upset feminist of my generation seminary in the 1970's. They wanted to make God and the Church gender neutral in preparation for the LGBTQ++++ ideology and non-binary sex and sexuality to include the Sacraments of marriage and Holy Orders, thus opening these to Sacraments to new ideologies, male, female, non-binary, non-human, etc.

The Pope, though emphasizes that the Marian way is built upon the anthropological nature of God creating us male and female, two genders, complimentary toward each other, not the same and that marriage between one man and one woman and for life is a sacramental sign of the Church, referred to as the bride of Christ married to Christ the Bridegroom of the Church.

In terms of administration, there are many places, certainly in the USA, where women are in positions of authority, be it as principals of schools, colleges, universities as well as teachers, financial administration and CCD coordinators, etc. Women in the USA outnumber men in these "ministerial" functions and most parishes, women outnumber men in terms of various ministries, paid or volunteer. Women have traditionally run Catholic hospitals, clinics and outreach centers. 

Thus as the pope points out, woman can't become ordained to the Sacrament of Holy Orders but they have roles of importance in the Church to compliment the Petrine Principle! Kudos to the pope for being so clear this time.