Friday, 21st November 2008 - 12:41CET
Archbishop promotes women's participation in decision making
Men should not see modern women’s call for more recognition of their identity, mission, abilities and responsibilities as a threat, Archbishop Paul Cremona said this morning.
He said that the necessary space should be left for women to take part in the decision making process.
Speaking on women in society during a seminar organised as part of activities to commemorate the 20th anniversary of Pope John Paul II’s apostolic letter Mulieris Dignitatem, Mgr Cremona said women’s self-awareness should help men take a new look at how they viewed matters and themselves.
They should see where they placed themselves in a situation, how they interpreted it and how they organised their social, political, economic, religious and ecclesiastical life.
This new feminism should ignore the temptation to be just an imitation of man’s domination, Mgr Cremona said.
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Comments
It is correct to say that there were deaconesses in the early Church. St Paul mentions Phoebe. He also mentions women when he discusses the qualifications of a deacon in 1Tim 3, 8-13. But since the words of Paul “I do not allow a woman to teach, or to exercise authority over men” (1Tim 2, 12) occurs only two paragraphs earlier in the very same letter to Timothy, one must also assume that these very women deaconesses did not have the same role as the male deacons, who were given authority in the Church. It follows that these deaconesses of the early Church were not admitted to the hierarchical diaconate which was a sacrament and part of Holy Orders. While deaconesses were sometimes referred to as ordained, there is no evidence of their having been regarded as possessing sacramental power. Their principal duty was to assist at the baptism of women, which in ancient times was performed by immersion and included several ceremonies that could not be performed with propriety for women by male ministers. They also performed many works of pastoral administration for the women of the Christian communities.
The role of women as deacons in the early christian communities is well documented. Even Saint Paul refers to women as co-workers and deacons. Up to the 4th century AD women deacons were anointed by a laying of the hands. That is why it makes sense for the church to reinstitute the idea of men and women of good standing to help in the care and welfare of the christian community . We have for a long time associated the diaconate as essentially the one step away from the priesthood. If the church wishes to rekindle the spirit of the early christian communities the archbishop's call for women to be given space in the decision making process is a step forward. Whether this will encounter resistance from a church hierarchy that is rigidly patriarchal waits to be seen. Nonetheless the archbishop is to be applauded for having the courage to approach the issue of women and decision making, a power sharing process that should view women as co-workers not subordinates tied solely to the role of care-givers.
Women as Mary, the Mother of Jesus and Mary Magdalene have an important role also in the church. I mention some who contributed not only to the Church but to Europe too...St.Catherine of Siena, St.Therese of Avila, St.Therese of Lisieux and much more great women of the Church who are venerated "meqjuma" as great Doctors of the Church...who blames the church does not know anything of the Catholic Church
To be honest, I spent years working for the Church and always felt honoured and respected. One will always find those individuals, priests or laity, who will look on a woman as a threat but that is a matter of cultura and intelligence.
Finally, I find it grossly unfair to equate recognition of the contribution of women to decision making with acceptance in the priesthood which is a theological argument. To turn the argument round, perhaps nunneries may start accepting male novices (ok ok this is tongue in cheek!)