The significant thing here is that in 1994 when John Paul II released his letter stating that the issue of women priests was closed and no longer open to debate among Catholics, that many Catholics chose not to listen. This papal teaching has been rejected by lay Catholics, lay ecclesial ministers, priests, bishops, and now the Pope himself. Benedict has in one sense rejected this teaching by John Paul II by allowing the Vatican to put out this statement that will undoubtedly keep the debate alive and well.
A Faithful Catholic
2 comments:
Right-O!
B-16 ignores JPII's definitive statement by following up.
Or the Pope realized that John Paul II's statement required the full force of Church discipline to back it up due to the continued attempts by various "heretics" to set themselves up as part of the Church. Thus, for the sake of the whole, it became necessary to underline that not only is the teaching non-negotiable, but it carries the ultimate sanction for violation, EXCOMMUNICATION.
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