George wrote
>This issue [i.e. women's ordination?] would be a further source of
irritation in a >liturgical context ... I certianly see how women who
seek ordination and their
>supporters would bristle when participating in a liturgy presided over by
>men
I don't know anyone who bristles just because the celebrant is a man. What
matters at parish level is that the celebrant should be a good pastor and
preacher. Where a parish has no resident priest, or a priest who is
overworked, burned out, ill or unable to be a good pastor for whatever
reason, it's hard to see why a woman (or a married man for that matter, but
let's not start another debate) should not be their <good shepherd> if she
has the necessary gifts and training. Not that full ordination is for
emergencies only. The whole church needs the gifts of all its members.
>How does enforcing traditional Catholic teachings undermine respect for
the
>teaching authority?
It's a traditional RC teaching that our understanding of the faith can
change and develop over time. Teaching in a traditional way need not mean
always maintaining the status quo. This is one of the great strengths of
the R. Catholic church. As for the undermining of respect, it's hard to
respect an authority whose final argument is <because I say so> especially
when earlier arguments have not made sense to large numbers of the people
whose lives they effect and where there is no forum where mutual
understanding might begin to take place.
Mary
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