Expert: Edward Bode - 2/8/2007

Question
Hello Mr Edward! I've got another question to you. I have a feeling that many feminists don't like the Roman Catholic Church. Frankly speaking I don't know why, cause I never asked any of them about it, but I can try to guess. It seems to me that they believe that women in the Catholic church are, in a way, discriminated. In what ways? There is a passage in the gospel which says that wives should be subordinated, submissive to their husbands. Another is that, I believe, that this is the priests (men) who rule in the church and women have nothing to say, they can't say the mass, hear confessions etc. Another may be that there are some priests, bad priests, who engage themselves in romantic affairs with women and then they preach that we should live in chastity that women should listen to their husbands and so on.They don't live as they preach. It seems that women seem to have much less rights in the Catholic church than men do. Once a year in my church there is a ceremony when all people in the church get in the line to the altar to kiss the cross with Christ crucified. Each time before it happens the main priest announces that we all should move forward in the given order, that is: men,boys, women, little girls. Don't you think that's strange. What do women think then? I'm a man so I go as the first one, but frankly speaking I feel stupid when I hear something like this. Can't we all go together to the altar instead of creating such a hierarchy. So that's why sometimes I think that women feel discriminated to a certain extent. How does it look like according to you? Are they discriminated or maybe it's just a hierarchy? Thank You!

Answer
Like you, Luke, I do not understand the regimentation for kissing the crucifix on Good Friday.  Possibly, you could ask the pastor for his rationale.
I suspect that the radical feminists are opposed to the Church for reasons of morality -- abortion, artificial birth control, divorce and remarriage, etc.
In regard to women within the Church:  The church prizes a complementarity of roles.  I readily accept the tradition of the Church that priests are other-Christs, who was a man; the constant tradition of the Church restricts the priesthood to males.  Judas failed and so do some priests, but that is not what is desired.  However, women have and have had much power in the church throgh the centuries.  I think of nuns who control vast enterprises such as hospitals and colleges/universities. Paul says that husbands should love their wives as Christ loved the Church -- a total giving of self in selfless love.
So, I see a diversity and complementarity not a discrimination.
Hope these few thoughts help.  If you would like more, feel free to write again.
Best wishes.