Why Women Can't Be Priests

Why can't women become Catholic priests? In this video, Dr. Christopher West explains how the real reason women can't be priests is beautifully illuminated by St. John Paul II's Theology of the Body.

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[luisroa]

Is the most beautiful, breathtaking but most of logical and true explanation on this proverbial and ancient issue; why women can't be priest. I'm a practicing Catholic and I have never hear such a wonderful truth until now, thank-you from the bottom of my heart!

[Anya-]

Finally, something that quells all doubts in my mind and heart about the impossibility of ordaining women to be priests. Before this, I struggled with my feminist ideology to accept this stance from the Catholic Church. This video has made it very clear and provided numerous logical points. Thank you Dr West.

[robertamansfield]

I'm a cradle catholic. My mom would tell me that, God blessed women by being able to directly participate in Divine Creation! That women were the most blessed of the semester because of this miracle.
Mom told us that society didn't revere women, and society tells us that
women are inferior. But GOD tells women they are highly prized!
Mom said God let men become preists so they could participate in the Divine Creation of consecration of the Blessed Sacrement.
I never felt inferior to men.. in fact I felt sorry for them. They risk their Ives as soldiers, work hard, die early and have a much harder time with chastity.

[MrMercuryW]

Those who advocate for ordination of women in the Catholic Church do not understand Sacramental Theology.

If Christ wanted women to be priests, why didn't he ordain His Mother Mary or Mary Magdalene as Apostles as well?

And why did the Apostles only ordain men after that if it was clear that they also praised women in the Church (Such as Phoebe and Lydia)?, and they were well aware that many women in the Early Sees had mystical abilities as well.

What is more logical is that they were instructed by Christ how Ordaining worked in the souls of men only, and their successors still continue that up to this day, in a similar fashion that other Sacraments have valid and invalid matter so does Holy Orders.

Though perhaps the choice of there being only men has to do with sacrifice, and the physical guardianship over their parish and the sacraments, not to mention exorcism.

At least Christ has other roles and abilities for women such as that of motherhood, what matters the most is that women are Saints anyway, certainly He gives women special gifts to serve unique roles in the One, Holy, Catholic and Apostolic Church choosing many of them for special tasks that He doesn't give to men.

[TheTish]

I've never been upset that only men can be Priests. I don't think girls should be alter servers, either. Side note: I'm against Eucharistic ministers, and taking Communion in the hand.

[DestionoConfabiloa]

THANK YOU FOR YOUR SIMPLE EXPLANATION! I was looking for a good answer to share with my niece which was asking me about this👍🏼👍🏼👍🏼👍🏼

[jaqian]

God the Father chose men to be priests in the Old Testament (only pagans has priestesses) and God again in the form of Jesus chose men to be priests in the New Testament. It is ordained by God.

[sebastianbolt]

Best most clear explanation ive ever heard.

[iqgustavo]

🎯 Key Takeaways for quick navigation:

01:25 🚻 The video addresses the question of why only men can be ordained as Catholic priests.
02:07 🌍 The natural difference between men and women is fundamental to the discussion, and it centers around the unique biological roles of men and women in procreation.
04:54 💉 Priesthood is not a career choice; it's a call to spiritual fatherhood, which is intrinsically connected to male biology.
08:05 🤝 Through baptism, both men and women share in the priesthood of all believers, but the specific call to spiritual fatherhood in the priesthood is reserved for men.
10:53 🚫 It is as impossible for a woman to be an ordained priest as it is for a man to become pregnant, highlighting the importance of recognizing and respecting the inherent differences between men and women.
12:17 🌟 Embracing the differences between men and women, without exaggeration or elimination, is essential for understanding God's plan and the beauty of being created male and female in the image of God.

[陳科祕書長]

Being a priest is not only about saying Mass or administering sacraments, inside the church, what a woman can do, technically speaking, but also to live exactly as Christ did as a man, i.e. going out to preach the Gospel, to look for the lost sheep, to conquer all kinds of evil, ideological and practical, and to sacrifice himself for others, with the psychological and physical strength that is innate to the nature of a man.

[MAJESTY]

This answers the question completely and fully. Great Job!

[a.k.]

Priesthood is the spiritual fatherhood. The same way, nuns are our spiritual mothers and sisters. Men can also be brothers. So fixing the unbalance issue in the church it is not about ordaining women as priest but rather to give more prominence to motherhood via a more extended woman ministry and more leadership (as you give the example @8:30, yes a ministry of "the symbol of the Church" reserved to women would make sense). Priesthood is really for men. This is so true that the Anglican ordained women priest are often called "father". I don't think this makes sense. They say it is not about the gender but rather the office. It is more than the office for the Catholic Church. It is about woman and man identity in God.

[AandM]

Male and female, we are all the church, the bridegroom. In the same way, male and female, we are all God’s priests. In marriage, we become one flesh. It seems to me that God created us female and male for a reason. So why then, has the church separated us by only ordaining men to the priesthood? You’ve excluded women from something they inherently share in.

[esclashnikes]

I adhere and believe in all doctrine and dogmas of the church. I appreciate when Christopher west and St John Paul II explain them so we can understand. This is one I had wondered about thanks for this video. I had a question about the sacrament of holy orders. Why is it only for men? Why when women become nuns or sisters is it not considered the sacrament of holy orders?

[margaretwatson]

I can't believe so many of you think this argument has any validity at all - it isn't 'Beautiful' it is horrific - the church includes all kinds of people - so is it right to suggest this is a form of sex between male priest and any man, a child, or a woman he isn't married to? Of course not, but that is where such arguments take you. .

[charlieanderson]

Best explanation I’ve ever seen on this topic. Thank you.

[joebeaudet]

Yesterday I was discussing with a Catholic friend why women cannot be priests. After not gaining much ground, I asked him to listen to this video. Afterwards, he retorted with Matthew 23:9 "And do not call anyone on earth ‘father, ’ for you have one Father, and he is in heaven." While I dislike people who snag a single line of scripture to meet their immediate needs, I really was at a loss on how to respond. Any thoughts anyone?

[TheHoggopogo]

Just a note: you cite the 1917 Code of Canon Law for a pretty hinge-part of your argument. We are no longer under the 1917 Code, but the 1983 Code. I can't find anything about castration or the inability to inseminate being grounds for disqualification. I would consider this for your argument, as I believe there are better directions you can take rather than citing an outdated Code.

[JPGoertz]

Men and women are not interchangeable - not just at the biological but also at the social level. No rights without duties. No duties without certain abilities. Because we have eliminated the requirements for so many rights, we have so many degenerate institutions. It is not just the claim " I can do xy" - there should also be an objective and strenuous assessment...

[Dark]

You're wrong about the seminary the word seminary comes from latin meaning a breeding ground because it is a breeding ground for priests and was a termed originally used for all schools. The two sound similar because the word seminary comes from the latin for a seed plot and the word semen is the latin for seed.

Also what you said about the code of canon law that itself draws from the Council of Nicea (I believe it was Nicea someone correct me if I'm wrong) which said that someone who castrated themselves should be removed by priest although if they were castrated against their will it was alright.