VATICAN RULING: No Sex, No Women!

Last week, the Catholic Church took one step forward, but two steps back.  And while some are calling it successful progress, others are calling it a huge FAIL!

The Vatican has now revised its internal laws to make it easier to discipline sexually abusive priests. But in light of that good news, they are also saying that ordaining women as priests is just as awful a sin as pedophilia.  REALLY???

Their decision for a combined announcement on the two separate issues presents an internal tug-of-war between embattled leaders inside the Vatican, even as they work to squelch anger against their long standing and widespread sexual abuse scandal.  The Pope remains adamant against the suggestion that pedophilia inside the priesthood could be cured by ending celibacy or by allowing women to become priests.  Is he right, or wrong?

This controversial and oft questionable position drew immediate criticism from women’s ordination groups, who rightly pointed out that any moral equivalent between women priests and child rapists was offensive. “The idea that women seeking to spread the message of God somehow defiles the Eucharist reveals an antiquated, backwards church that still views women as unclean and unholy,” said Erin Saiz Hanna, executive director of the Women’s Ordination Conference, a U.S.-based organization that works to ordain women.

Pope Benedict XVI said the topic of ordaining women priests, which many catholics believe would help an overwhelming and growing shortage in the priesthood, and would bring about more gender equality in the church, is not up for discussion.  And to prop up that belief, the Vatican has issued a decree saying any attempt to ordain women would result in the automatic excommunication for the woman AND for the priest who tries to ordain her. The priest may also be punished by being defrocked.

Regarding the horrific sexual abuse scandal that has crippled the church, Pope Benedict has issued a new set of internal rules for priests.  They include:

STATUTE OF LIMITATIONS ON ABUSE CASES EXTENDED FROM 10 TO 25 YEARS

POSSESSION OF CHILD PORNOGRAPHY IS A GRAVE OFFENSE

ABUSE OF A MENTALLY DISABLED ADULT IS AS SERIOUS OFFENSE AS THE ABUSE OF A MINOR