Legal Rights: Ordination of Women as Priests

On 15th July 2010, the Vatican (the central governing body of the Catholic Church, recognized by international law) stated that the ordination of woman catholic priests is a crime, against faith. It also issued a statement saying that henceforth, the incidents of attempted ordination will be addressed by Vatican’s disciplinary body, the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith. Further, the new rules proposed by the Vatican has brought the attempt of ordination of women on par with pedophilia though women priests believe this puts their legal rights in jeopardy. The Vatican has made it clear that participants of such an offence will be subjected to automatic excommunication (exclusion from sacraments of church). 

The Vatican has also issued new rules on child abuse. The new norms call for speedy process of investigation of paedophile priests. It allows bishops to defrock priests without ecclesiastical trials, in evident cases of sexual abuse. Also, the statute of limitations for sexual abuse cases has been extended from 10 years to 20 years, after the victim's 18th birthday.

Legal Rights: Christ Chose Only Men as Apostles, says Vatican

Several debates have taken place in past regarding ordination of women as priests. Women are often denied of their legal rights pertaining to ordination, because the Vatican states that Christ chose men as his apostles. Further, women’s ordination is often opposed, because it is said that women are free to serve the church, but should not be involved in the decision making or given institutional authority in the church. It is believed that men should rule as was intended by Christ and they should be conferred with power and authority. Also, secular myths and image of women as reproducer, have affected the ordination of women into the holy regime.

To state that ordination of women as priests is equivalent to pedophile is appalling, says Erin Saiz Hanna, an executive director of the Women's Ordination Conference. She called it a decision that is "mediaeval at best."

However, on 16th July 2010, the Vatican backtracked from previous statements on holding ordination of women as priests being on par with pedophile. It was stated by the spokesperson that the two have not been treated as on par but as "crimes of a different nature."

Legal Rights: Role of Catholic Women in Strengthening Christianity

The role of Catholic women in strengthening Christianity cannot be undermined, be it Margaret of Scotland and Jadwiga of Poland. The pages of history were marked red by Queen Isabella of Spain who ordered the Inquisition, thereby killing those who refused to accept Christianity as their salvation and religion. Her daughter, Katherine of Aragon, who was married off to King Henry VIII, was equally powerful and strong as Queen of England, in strengthening Christianity in the country.

Highly respected scholars have questioned the Vatican’s stance on this issue, arguing that Mary Magdalene was an Apostle, but her role was downgraded for the promotion of all- male priesthood deliberately by the Church. Further, it is said that Christ chose men as apostles, based on factors such as availability, convenience, free movement and so on, taking into consideration the norms of the society that existed then.

Several Catholic activists have protested against the Vatican's stance on ordination of women as priests. They have demanded ordination of women as priests, to overcome the shortage of priests around the world. Further, they argue that both men and women are equal in front of god.  It is also argued that Jesus made no distinction between men and women.  Arguments continue but for most women, the vocation of a priest is a noble one as it calls for serving others, which should be open for all, without distinction of gender, race or social condition.