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Home Page > News > Pope Benedict reaffirms no women ordination and continued celibacy in Catholic Church

Pope Benedict reaffirms no women ordination and continued celibacy in Catholic Church

Pope ridicules priests efforts as a desperate push to change the church

CATHY HAYES,

IrishCentral Staff Writer

Published Saturday, April 7, 2012, 7:43 AM

Updated Saturday, April 7, 2012, 7:43 AM

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Pope Benedict XVI waves to the crowd

Photo by Google Images

Pope Benedict XVI once again denounced the ordination of women and the abolition of priestly celibacy in the Roman Catholic Church during a stern Holy Thursday address.

Delivering his homily at Mass on Thursday in St. Peter's Basilica, Pope Benedict said the ban on female priests was a 'divine constitution,' as Jesus chose only men to be his apostles during the Last Supper.

Surrounded by more than 1,600 priests, bishops and cardinals the Pope stated he would not tolerate disobedience among priests, inferring to an Austrian group called Preachers’ initiative.

The initiative was established by Rev. Helmut Schüller in 2006 to combat a shortage of priests.

Referring to them as a group of priests from a European country, the Pope rejected their ideas saying they are making a “desperate push to change the church in accordance with one's own preferences and ideas”.

Speaking to the New York Times, Father Helmut Schüller, described the Vatican as an "absolutist monarchy".

"I think that in the history of the Church, a lot has changed, even if not always voluntarily,"

Schüller told the Times. "There has been new science, new technology, new practices. The teachings are always changing."

He said he was not surprised by the Pope’s comments: “But I don’t think they were very harsh,” he said. “There was no threat or sanction implied in his words.”

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34 Comments

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warlocks | Apr 15, 2012, 12:21 AM EDT

I Wouldn't buy a Automobile from Pope Rat zinger just look at his eyes. tell me you don't see Evil in them ! this Guy should Step Down . he's got his Head in the sand like the rest of his Past Cronies .The Church is in Moral decay & in Deep Trouble it needs new leaders or it will Die.the Corruption has to stop at the Top first

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IrelandNorth | Apr 11, 2012, 07:33 AM EDT

redhand32! Your comments are in extremely poor taste. A bit like allan07's muted reference to giving the Virgin/Madonna 'One' rather than any figure out of 10. Correct me if I'm wrong, but I'm picking up on a certain Ulster Prod spiritual supremacist vibe here. Unless you and him are one and the same. It's one thing to disagree with one's belief system. Quite another to be contemptuous of it. There are more respectable forms of Protestantism than the virulent Roman Catholic hating brand of some Northern Ireland sects.

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Seanmor | Apr 10, 2012, 11:54 PM EDT

The R.C. Church could alliviate is shortage of prients if would permit its ordained clergy to marry a spouse of the opposite gender, and ordain women, includinhg those who wish to find husbands. Such changes would be acceptable to me- a staunch tradidionalist. Christian unity is also very desirable to me. But I hope that the Roman Church will never allow the killing of the unborn or same-sex unions of any kind.

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eiriamach | Apr 10, 2012, 12:51 PM EDT

SingleDonald, the point I made is that it is not believable that a "girl," even a middle-aged or older woman, would question a priest about his celibacy. I do not believe a woman who did such a thing would have gotten friendly and candid answers. Perhaps a female journalist could manage it in a legitimate interview, but most other women would be loath to try. And I do not believe that collie"girl" is female. If collie"girl" is indeed a young female, her parents should have cautioned her about using such a screen name anywhere on the Internet. If she is a woman, she makes herself look silly. Whatever you think about the appropriateness of calling women "girls," don't do it to me (fair warning).

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Gearoid4 | Apr 09, 2012, 05:50 PM EDT

The churches of the reformation, such as the Lutherans and Anglicans have abolished clerical celibacy and ordained women to the priesthood. The fall-out within anglicanism, has been detrimental to the unity of that communion and has sowed confusion and division. The lutheran churches in the Scandinavian countries and other countries in Europe, have been experiencing drastic decreases in terms of adherents and influences over recent decades and this will not be reversed anytime soon. The pope is only being true to the deposit of Faith passed down to successive popes since the Apostolic age and he cannot change that.

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Gearoid4 | Apr 09, 2012, 05:49 PM EDT

The churches of the reformations, such as the Lutherans and Anglicans have abolished clerical celibacy and ordained women to the priesthood. The fall-out within anglicanism, has been detrimental to the unity of that communion and has sowed confusion and division. The lutheran churches in the Scandinavian countries and other countries in Europe, has been experiencing drastic decreases in terms of adherents and influences over recent decades and this will not be reversed anytime soon. The pope is only being true to the deposit of Faith passed down to successive popes since the Apostolic age and he cannot change that.

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redhand32 | Apr 09, 2012, 10:06 AM EDT

Pope Benedict: "Hey Ladies, I have Good News and Bad News." First, the Bad News (after all we're Catholic; we're all about "bad news," right ?). Women's Ordination is still off at least for the next several millennia. Now the Good News: 60% off for the highest-priced item for female customers only at the Vatican Museum bookstore for the next 30 days if you mention the words "Pope me" !

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SingleDonald | Apr 08, 2012, 09:30 PM EDT

1) Thanks, maryemoore! I figured that was the case, concerning deacons whose wives passed away.2)eiriamach, I, and many others (men & women) use the term "girl" generically, along with "woman", "lady", "female", etc. The term denotes youthfulness & femininity, traits which most women find appealing. Putting "little" in front of "girl", denotes immaturity. I wish most people would get beyond "political correctness"! After all, men are OK with being called the "guys", or even the "boys"!

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Curitiba | Apr 08, 2012, 03:08 PM EDT

Celibacy was introduced for financial reasons, not because of anything in the Scripture. It should be allowed....but the question would arise then about how the priest would support his family on his small stipend, and would presbeteries be suitable accomdation in which to house them. Women priests, sure, eventually, but that's more revolutionary and should be introduced over a period of about 50 years to allow people to get used to the idea. It could cause the same chaos as in the Church of England when women priests were suddenly introduced and a lot of clergy went over to Rome (ironically, many of them were married and brought their families with them).

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eiriamach | Apr 08, 2012, 02:29 PM EDT

Collie"girl" writes, "The priests I know are happily celibate." Did collie"girl" ask them? How does someone with the word "girl" in his screen name put such a question to a priest-- "Ah, . . . ahem, Father . . . I was wondering how you feel about not having sex at all?" Really? And did the priests say "I'm quite happy not to have sex at all," or did they run in the opposite direction from collie"girl"?

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BrunoRamirez | Apr 08, 2012, 11:16 AM EDT

At the risk of pissing some of you off nice & early on Easter Sunday I have to give my POV on this "Evil lkng Nazi bast*rd in a dress"..... WTF?!!?? He is the only man that with one statement can set back Womens Lib 100 years. Then he has the gall to speak about "Celibacy", really? Do I really need to remind him about the thousands if not hundreds of thousands (incl myself) of sexually abused children his "Celibate" priest have taken advantage of? Give me a break.

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dibble2008 | Apr 08, 2012, 09:22 AM EDT

Women should be ordained and priests allowed to marry if the church even wants to begin to face reality.

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pilib04 | Apr 08, 2012, 07:49 AM EDT

Colliegirl, with all due respect, what are you on about? Did you miss the article about the Pope silencing a priest for commenting on the need for woman priests and married priests?Do you attend mass on a regular basis? Do you see the massive shortage of priests? Do you see our priests ministering to numerous parishes/churches because we don't have enough priests to go around? Do you really think that your "ask any priest" comment is scientific research?

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pilib04 | Apr 08, 2012, 07:44 AM EDT

I would feel a lot better about my Pope if he would speak out about child rapists in the ministry and in the hierarchy. Also if he would turn the protectors of these rapists over to the authorities for prosecution. But instead he speaks on something he knows nothing about, Artificial Birth Control, Women priests and married priests.

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Colliegirl | Apr 08, 2012, 02:22 AM EDT

By the bay, this is the second thread you posted your figures on but I don't believe them. Maybe some US Catholics think married men would be good priests but ask any priest if he would have time for a wife. The priests I know are happily celibate. I wonder if the Catholics who do want married priests want to raise what they put in the collections to support the wives and children. And the only Catholic of my acquaintance (and I know LOTS of Catholics) who would like to see women ordained is a nun. I think most of the women who want to see women priests are those who want to BE women priests.

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