Ordain Women is on my mind. Kate Kelly is on my mind. We come from the same church you see. But it has gotten so misrepresented in the media frenzy that I am saddened, sickened, frustrated even.
I'm originally from CA, and I know a lot of my friends growing up do not know much about my church outside of the do not swear/drink/smoke/have sex before marriage practices, so allow me to try to put the current situation into a more relatable context.
Imagine Kate Kelly is Catholic.
Say Kate went to her priest one Sunday and asked, "Why can't I do what you do? I am just as capable. Let me be a priest."
Her priest lovingly responds: "You are one of God's creations, and as such, you are amazing, talented, beautiful, full of unlimited potential. However, consider the doctrine of this church as declared by Pope John Paul II in 1994:
Although the teaching that priestly ordination is to be reserved to men
alone has been preserved by the constant and universal tradition of the
Church and firmly taught by the magisterium in its more recent
documents, at the present time in some places it is nonetheless
considered still open to debate, or the Church’s judgment that women are
not to be admitted to ordination is considered to have a merely
disciplinary force. Wherefore, in order that all doubt may be removed
regarding a matter of great importance, a matter which pertains to the
Church’s divine constitution itself, in virtue of my ministry of
confirming the brethren (cf. Luke 22:32) I declare that the Church has
no authority whatsoever to confer priestly ordination on women and that
this judgment is to be definitively held by all the Church’s faithful" (OrdinatioSacerdotalis 4). Source: http://www.catholic.com/tracts/women-and-the-priesthood
Her priest continues, "According to what we have been given from God, Himself, the office of a priest is to be held and officiated by men only. As men, we do not have authority to change this, only God does and it is not our place to bend His will to ours. There are plenty of other places and official capacities in which you can serve, but this is simply not one of them, just as there are offices in which I cannot."
Kate doesn't like this answer. Not at all. She starts talking to her friends. She uses her very well-educated lawyer background to take up the "human rights" campaign, but there-in lies the problem. This is not a church of humans, it is a church of GOD, of CHRIST.
She gathers followers. She writes a blog. She stirs people up. They try to get into Seminaries and other events held for priests only. They were not invited, yet seem shocked and hurt that they are not allowed entry. They appeal to the media hoping to get public opinion to sway the Church's position. They do not understand that a true church of God does not change with the whims of public opinion, but rather stays loyal to Heaven itself. They fail to accept counsel from leaders, to listen to the words of the Pope, himself, who has taught that there just isn't the authority on the Earth to change the church so.
They basically have an adult tantrum and try to get liberal media outlets to legitimize their petulance.
Her leaders try to meet with Kate. They try to ask her to consider the effects that her heresy may have on others. They place her on probation to help her realize the magnitude of her actions. Kate refuses to listen. She teaches her own doctrine of 'equality', but really it's a doctrine of 'same-ness'. Give me the same, whether God wills it or not. But God did not create us to be exactly the same, and that is beautiful. Our differences are needed to temper and complement each other.
Kate continues to gather followers, though they represent a very small percentage of the church. They have quiet, peaceful sit-ins outside the Vatican. But really, it's a protest. They are protesting the will of God. She is recruiting others to refuse to accept God's authority here on the Earth. So her leaders ask her to do a series of things if she wishes to continue to participate in God's church. (Please forgive my ignorance of specific Catholic repentance procedures here). She must confess. She must cease her actions that are directly in conflict with church teachings. She can of course continue to ask questions, but since she has already received an answer regarding her question on becoming a priest, she should accept God's will in this matter and stop recruiting others to join her cause. Her heresy is putting the salvation of her fellow members at risk by leading them astray. Please, please stop.
Kate responds, "I absolutely will not stop. I am a good person. I keep all these other Catholic tenets, I go to church, I read the Bible, I was a missionary, etc. But I will not back down. I will not accept the Pope's authority, nor the words of his ordained leaders on this matter. My way is the only way." Her pride will not allow her to recognize God's word any longer.
What choice is left then, for her leaders to say anything other than, "Well then Kate, I am so, so sorry. But this is the choice YOU have made. If you do not accept the messages of God through our Pope and his ordained leaders, you cannot truly believe in the saving power of this church, for it is all tied together. Where much is given, much is required. If you do not believe in what knowledge and power you have been given, we do not want you to be required to give up your salvation by rejecting it. By taking away your membership, by encouraging you to continue to come to church, to relearn the basic tenets of our religion more deeply, to get re-baptized and again join our fold, we believe we are giving you the best chance though it may not seem like it. Not having membership in the church is preferable to the evil of actively denying God. But truly accepting God, that is the best of all. Come back to us when you can. We are waiting, we are ready when you are."
Kate goes to the NY Times and declares it is a tragedy that she is made a scapegoat of a culturally antiquated church.
The real tragedy is that Kate can no longer recognize the guidance of the Holy Ghost and that she has lost out on the blessings offered by being a faithful member of the church. The real tragedy is the number of people who may fall away after her. The real tragedy is how the whole situation has been blown so out of proportion that facts are lost and lies are told and slander is spread.
Remember Christ's teachings. Love and tolerance is not the same. He NEVER tolerated sin, but he ALWAYS loved the individual. Let us practice the same. Love one another. Reject pride. Be a little better every day. Until He comes again.
