The new pontiff & female priests

Pope Benny's in da house! Woof woof woof!

(Can y'all hear all that typing. People blogging away with their opinions on the new big guy. Lots of 'em. Myself included.)

And lots o' TV news coverage as well last night on the newly elected Pope Benedict XVI, with much comment regarding his controversial conservative views (I tuned into Hardball With Chris Matthews to listen to some of the discussion.), particularly on the issues of homosexuality and gay marriage, contraception and abortion, female priests and married clergy. Yup, hot topics indeed.

Unfortunately, as a raised Catholic, I don't agree with the Vatican's position on all of the above issues. (Why am I saying 'unfortunately'?) Hmmm, well then, I suppose that entitles me to excommunication from the church, or perhaps being labeled as a non-catholic or protestant by definition. If so, it doesn't bother me. Not anymore. Nope. Nadda.

I think my apathy toward the prudence of the catholic authority teemed significantly just before my wife and I got married--after a heated discussion with a priest who yelled at us (yes, 'yelled' with a f*ckin Y-E-L-L-E-D) for our attempt to have our ceremony held at a catholic church closer to our wedding reception than at our own parish. (This story is worthy of its own blog entry, perhaps in the near future. Titled, "The Last Straw". I likes, I likes.) Nevertheless, I gave Vatican doctrine some further thought following a Q&A talk with my oldest daughter a few months ago.

You see, once upon a time in our living room, little Tina asked me if she could be anything she wanted to be. A typical kid question that I quickly answered, "You bet, pumpkin. Anything." And during my attempt to think of exceptions, it suddenly popped into my mind and I decided to finish the thought to myself, "Sure sweetie, you can be whatever you want...anything except a priest; and it's all because the catholic church won't let you...or maybe because God said so." It was that thought that made me do the google thing and find out why the Vatican supported this.

I found the following links:
a. Recent history of the female priest debate.
b. A press statement of a catholic priest resigning due to disagreement with the vatican.
c. Posted newsgroup question of some user :-) asking why catholic seminaries can legally deny entry of female applicants.

Interesting. Very interesting.

Oh well. It seems from the past statements of Pope Benedict XVI as Cardinal Ratzinger, he will continue to uphold the current conservative decrees of the church. But maybe...just maybe...all that will somehow change by some new biblical interpretation. Called upon by something higher than even the highest of the highest authorities. Whatever.

And y'know, if that change happens, I guess my opinions would jive with the church's. And ergo, I'd be 'catholic' once again! (woo-hoo! woop woop woop!) ... By definition, of course. :-)