The Catholic community is not ready for female priests, and should instead focus on ensuring that women are included in decision-making roles, according to theology lecturer Pauline Dimech.

Theologian Nadia Delicata

The debate about female priests often surfaces in the media, with Pope Francis reportedly saying in 2016 that he believes the Roman Catholic Church’s ban on women becoming priests is forever.

Asked if she thought it was time for female priests, Dr Dimech reply was clear: “No. Even if theologians and the magisterium were to agree that there is nothing to the contrary, I would still have to say that the Catholic community is not yet ready for it,” she told the Times of Malta ahead of an event celebrating women in theology.

“What we need at the moment are not female priests, but more evidence that women are being included in the decision-making process at all levels of the Church.”

For her colleague, Nadia Delicata, it all depends on what is meant by ‘priesthood’.

READ: Pope believes ban on female priests is 'forever'

“We tend to associate priests with pastoral ‘activities’, such as the administrative work that goes into running a parish, offering spiritual direction and counselling, leading prayer meetings. The reality is that not only are many priests also professionals in various fields, but women can, and do, fulfil many of these pastoral roles, including in highly skilled positions in Catholic institutions.”

What makes one a priest is not the activities but the mission and sacred power conferred through consecration.

Women can, and do, fulfil many highly skilled, pastoral roles

Priests are set apart to act for the Christian community in persona Christi Capitis, in particular in the sacrament of the Eucharist. To act ‘in the person of Christ the head’, who was not only human but man, is a symbolic role and this explains the all-male priesthood, she added.

At the same time, it also explains why a Vatican Commission is studying the issue of female deacons, since deacons are ordained into a ministry of service, not to mediate in the person of Christ.

On Thursday, International Women’s Day, the Faculty of Theology and Għaqda Studenti tat-Teoloġija will discuss the role and achievements of women in theology.

Why do women take up theology?

Dr Delicata believes women choose to study theology for the same reasons that all students pursue any field of academic study: to gain skills, in this case, pastoral, or for the intellectual challenge, and therefore out of personal interest.

“I do think there is a significant number of laymen and -women, especially those with life and professional experience, who choose to study theology for what I’d call existential reasons: they have particularly pressing personal questions of meaning,” she said, noting that she falls somewhere between the second and third categories.

Early in her own theological studies, it became clear that pursuing a journey to satisfy oneself was simply not enough. Whether through writing, teaching or another form, she felt responsible for others along their questioning journeys. “I suppose that’s how I discovered my journey had made me a theologian,” she said.

Dr Dimech was hooked following her bachelor’s degree in religious studies and has been studying theology ever since.

However, she was only able to pursue her master’s in her early 40s and received her doctorate aged 50. This goes to show that it is never too late for anyone wishing to pursue their theological studies, she said.

Thursday’s event is open to the public. Adm-ission is free. Starting at 6pm at the Faculty of Theology boardroom (room 317), the discussion will welcome past and present students in a spirit of dialogue to acknowledge the contribution of women studying, practising and living theology. The organisers will collect donations for women at Dar Hosea.