Questions on Ordination of Women and the Updated Norms
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Questions on Ordination of Women and the Updated Norms
Why did the Vatican issue this document?
This is an indication of the seriousness with which the Holy See takes these issues
What do these norms say about attempted ordination of women?
An action such as this – to feign the conferral of the Sacrament of Holy Orders – is extremely serious. If an ordination is attempted, it will result in excommunication. And, the resolution of that excommunication is reserved to the Holy See.
Doesn’t the Church already forbid this?
Yes, this document makes it explicitly clear how serious an attempted ordination is, like breaking the seal of confession.
Who is excommunicated, the women seeking to be ordained? The person(s) seeking to do the ordaining? Others?
This would apply both to the person attempting the ordination and the person attempting to be ordained.
Why is attempted ordination of a woman grounds for excommunication but actual molestation of a minor is not?
These are different types of issues. The first, attempted ordination, is an offense against a sacrament, against the very structure of the Church itself. The second, the abuse of a minor, is both a horrible crime and a moral failure of an individual. This document shows the seriousness with which the Church is addressing abuse by addressing it at this level.
How significant is this problem? Are there a lot of attempts to ordain women going on?
No, this involves a very small number of people.
Why is ordination of women mentioned in a document about sexual abuse of minors?
The Vatican document is an omnibus document including grave violations of morals, such as sexual abuse of minor and grave violations of the sacraments, such as attempted ordination of women. Their inclusion shows the seriousness with which the Holy See takes these issues.
What are the church’s grounds for denying ordination of women?
The Church historically has attempted in priesthood to mirror the actions of Christ. He lived as a celibate male and ordained only men. There also has been some theological development around the spousal relationship of Christ and his Church.
Does this position keep women’s talents from being used for the Church?
God calls all the faithful to Christian service. Women have responded with extraordinary generosity. Historically, women have had an essential role in the life of the Church. This is true especially through their volunteer work in parishes, their professional service and their membership in religious communities, lay movements and other organizations, where they serve in a range of areas such as health care and education.
Today women serve in Church leadership positions at all levels. Women hold nearly half of diocesan administrative and professional positions—a fact that compares favorably to the U.S. workforce as a whole. Women also hold about one-quarter of the top diocesan positions, such as chancellor, school superintendent or chief financial officer. About 80 percent of lay parish ministers are women.
- Women serve as presidents of Catholic colleges and universities, as seminary professors and as heads of Catholic health systems. A growing number of Catholic theologians are women. Women serve in key staff positions in bishops’ conferences around the world. An American law professor, Mary Ann Glendon, headed the Vatican delegation to the UN conference on women in Beijing.
- Research conducted by the National Association of Church Personnel Administrators found that women hold nearly half of diocesan administrative and professional positions—this compares favorably to the U.S. workforce as a whole. In addition, women hold about one-quarter of the top diocesan positions, such as chancellor, school superintendent or chief financial officer.
- About 80 percent of lay parish ministers are women.
How are child sexual abuse and ordination of women related?
They’re not. The Vatican document is an omnibus document that includes both grave crimes against the sacraments, which now includes attempts to ordain women along with such crimes as desecration of the Eucharist, and grave crimes against morals, which now includes involvement with child pornography as well as sexual abuse of a minor.
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