From: Gregory J. Dulmes

Subject: Women Priests

Some women, including my own mother, have wondered why only men can be priests. They think it is unfair that they cannot be ordained. In some ways, this strikes me as selfish, petulant complaining. One might make an analogy of a kid who has lots and lots of toys, more than anyone else on his block. But then he sees a friend with a toy that he does not have, and he starts crying and banging his fists, demanding to know why he does not have that one too.

Now, the obvious question is 'What do women have already that if they ask for more they are complainers?'. Easy: motherhood! We men will never understand what it is like to have a new life grow inside of one's body, and to give birth to that new life. That is something only women can truly experience. Should we men now complain to God that this is unfair? Should we rail about how this violates our equal rights, that God is somehow a female chauvinist? We would have more luck demanding a mountain move.

Similarly, the Church has no power to contradict the structure Jesus set up. If this is how He wants it, this is how it is. God has no complaint department.

In a way the whole thing can be viewed as a trade-off: Men are the shephards of God's flock, but only women are mothers. I'm not convinced that men have the better end of this deal!

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