Not long ago, I was discussing the idea of the diaconate and the priesthood with a parishioner. Unsurprisingly, the discussion turned towards the idea of the ordination of women. "After all", he argued, "aren't we all called priests by St. Peter?"
While it is certainly true that all Christians have a
priesthood as described in the New Testament, the same source indicates that there is a difference. By virtue of our Baptism, Christians have a share in the
common (or royal) priesthood of Christ:
"The celebrating assembly is the community of the baptized who, 'by regeneration and the anointing of the Holy Spirit, are consecrated to be a spiritual house and a holy priesthood, that through all the works of Christian men they may offer spiritual sacrifices.' This 'common priesthood' is that of Christ the sole priest, in which all his members participate" (
Catechism of the Catholic Church, paragraph 1141).
However, some are called to - ordained - to a greater participation in Christ's priesthood by the sacrament of Holy Orders; this is known as the
ministerial priesthood.
Both the common and the ministerial priesthoods are centered on Christ. In fact, because of this there are actually
three priesthoods: (1) the common priesthood of all, (2) the ministerial of the ordained and (3) the
high priesthood of Christ. This is what we find in the New Testament:
- The common priesthood is seen, as pointed out by my discussion partner, in the first letter of St. Peter: "But you are “a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people of his own, so that you may announce the praises” of him who called you out of darkness into his wonderful light." (1 Peter 2:9).
- The ministerial priesthood is mentioned by St. Paul: "But I have written to you rather boldly in some respects to remind you, because of the grace given me by God to be a minister of Christ Jesus to the Gentiles in performing the priestly service of the gospel of God, so that the offering up of the Gentiles may be acceptable, sanctified by the holy Spirit" (Romans 15:16).
- The high priesthood of Christ is discussed by St. Paul elsewhere in the book that is considered by Catholic scholars to be the "scriptural manual" for the priesthood, his letter to the Hebrews: "Therefore, since we have a great high priest who has passed through the heavens, Jesus, the Son of God, let us hold fast to our confession. For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but one who has similarly been tested in every way, yet without sin" (Hebrews 4:14-15).
So if women share in the common priesthood of Christ, why can't they share in the ministerial one? To answer that requires a review of the Church as the
"custodian" (otherwise rendered "caretaker") of the sacraments. She has the power to determine the
way in which the sacraments are celebrated (for example, Mass in the vernacular) but no ability to change the
essential aspects as established by Jesus. Sacramental signs, while discernible by our senses (sight, sound, smell, taste and touch), also have a divine meaning. For example, the water of baptism and the bread used in the Eucharist are naturally discernible objects, but their use in the sacraments go beyond that: the water depicts the washing away of sin in the spiritual sense (c.f.
1 Peter 3:21) and the bread and wine become the Body and Blood of Christ (c.f.
Luke 22:19-20). In this same way, ministerial priesthood as established by Jesus is more than pastoral service to the community; it represents the continuation of the ministry he entrusted to the Apostles.
In this way, the priest is a sign of what is happening. Physically he is a human being but, when celebrating the sacraments, spiritually he represents Jesus Christ and acts in his person to the point of being his representative. He is a sign of what is happening and must be a sign that is recognizable. Because the second Person of the Trinity chose to come to earth and appear as a male, it is fitting that the priest as his representative should also be a male.
Another reason that the Church reserves ordination to men is recognizing the priest's responsibility to reflect Christ as the bridegroom of the Church, who is often portrayed in Scripture and Tradition as the Bride of Christ. This image can only be reasonably understood and reflected most truly when the priest is a man.
Pope St. John Paul II affirmed this ancient teaching when he wrote: "in order that all doubt may be removed regarding a matter of great importance, a matter which pertains to the Church's divine constitution itself, in virtue of my ministry of confirming the brethren (cf.
Lk 22:32) I declare that the Church has no authority whatsoever to confer priestly ordination on women and that this judgment is to be definitively held by all the Church's faithful" (
Ordinatio Sacerdotalis, 4).
This is no way demeans the role of women and their indispensable activities in the Church. In the same document, the Holy Father says: "The New Testament and the whole history of the Church give ample evidence of the presence in the Church of women, true disciples, witnesses to Christ in the family and in society, as well as in total consecration to the service of God and of the Gospel. "By defending the dignity of women and their vocation, the Church has shown honor and gratitude for those women who-faithful to the Gospel-have shared in every age in the apostolic mission of the whole People of God. They are the holy martyrs, virgins and mothers of families, who bravely bore witness to their faith and passed on the Church's faith and tradition by bringing up their children in the spirit of the Gospel" (
Ordinatio Sacerdotalis, 3). The example
par excellence of this is found in our special veneration (
not adoration/worship, that is for God alone) of the Blessed Virgin Mary, known as
hyperdulia: except for Jesus,
no other human - apostle, saint, bishop, priest or deacon - will
ever be placed above her in the Church's role regarding the salvation of souls!
By virtue of their royal priesthood given in baptism, ministerial priesthood is but one example of following the call given to
all the baptized, women and men alike: asking the Lord to send laborers into the harvest. Regardless of how we are are called, each of us is asked to respond generously to that call in the words of the prophet: "Here I am, send me" (
Is. 6:8). This can be done only through careful daily attention to the signs of that call and trust that we are doing God's will in every aspect of our lives. This is how we seek Christ - this is how we fulfill our part in his
Great Commission, a part that he has given to no one else but us individually to carry out with our own unique combination of skills and gifts: "Go, therefore, and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, until the end of the age” (
Mt. 28:19)