Why is the Catholic Church the last feminist frontier?

Jesus carries the cross, stained glass from St Mary's, Greenville, SC.








The comments at the recent Feministe thread by Aunt B got me thinking. Even though Aunt B (whom I adore!) was careful to counsel pagan commenters not to trash the monotheists, some could barely contain themselves. Understandable. But this thread, combined with Thursday's post (about North Carolina cops that may have overreacted in the shooting of Courtland Smith) and the recent arrest in the Jaycee Dugard kidnapping in California, helped me clarify some issues.

Male law enforcement vs female law enforcement, for starters. Viva la Difference!

Although I am as interested as the next scandalmonger in the case itself, and how Philip Garrido managed to hide an 11-year-old girl, later a woman with two children (!), in his backyard for 18 years (!), I found myself far more impressed with the rank-and-file college law enforcement officers at the University of California at Berkeley, Lisa Campbell and Ally Jacobs, who sniffed him out in a totally non-violent fashion. No guns drawn, no pre-dawn raid, no outrageous look-at-me behavior ala the David Koresh debacle. They asked questions. Something was amiss. They asked him to come back the next day! (appealed to his ego and desire to talk) As one who has been very critical of law enforcement on this blog... let me say this might be the most impressive example of police work I have ever seen. Bloodless, sharp, making intelligent use of databases and psychology.

It came down to their weird vibes about his daughters, and the realization of his parole officer: but...he doesn't have any daughters.

Bingo. Garrido, you are busted.

As I said, I am extremely impressed with these women. The fact that one chatted with the girls as the other cop talked to dad? Utter brilliance. And they followed their instincts; one came right out and said she was a mother, and something just wasn't right. YAY FOR MOM COPS! More of these, please.

Would Courtland Smith have been mowed down by one of these women? I just don't think so.

At left, DEAD AIR's kind of cops: UC-Berkeley law enforcement officers Alison Jacobs and Lisa Campbell, smelled a rat. Photo from Examiner.com.



Thus we see, bringing women into traditionally-male occupations can have some unexpected benefits, BECAUSE (not in spite) of our woman-ways. In politics this can also be true, particularly in local politics, which involves lots of hands-on work with constituents.

Now, what about the Church? Yes, I refer to the behemoth to which I nominally belong, the Catholic Church.

~*~

For the life of me, I can't understand why feminists support the right of women to fight in patriarchal, colonialist, nationalist wars; become law enforcement officers enforcing unjust laws; head up capitalist businesses that think nothing of destroying the environment (and even depend on doing so, for profits), etc etc etc... but if I should say "Well, I would like to have been a priest!"--all hell breaks loose, you should pardon expression.

Feminists are not supposed to want to be priests unless they are Episcopalian. Then it is marginally okay, but still not really okay. But women seeking equality within the Catholic Church? No. Bad. You CAN'T GO THERE.

Why not?

I see no reason why women should not be priests, monsignors, bishops, archbishops, cardinals and popes. NO REASON.

Are feminists endorsing this? No.

Are women outside of the Church bringing their considerable political leverage to help women who are trying to make this happen? Ha!

No.

As we see from Aunt B's thread: you are not supposed to want this. One cannot be, they say, a feminist and believe in monotheism. But of course, you CAN be a feminist and drops bombs on people you don't know, under orders of your (patriarchal, one assumes) government.

Why is one acceptable and the other not? Why is one regarded as MORE PATRIARCHAL than the other?

Looking at those super-duper cops, I can't help but think an increase in women officers would be GOOD for all law enforcement, despite my general misgivings about the institution of law enforcement. Likewise, I know that an increase of women priests would be good for the Church. In just the same way.

Did I just compare priests to cops? Wow, I guess I did. But my point is how patriarchal and male-dominated an existing institution already is. I'd say the military and the government, as well as the world of Fortune-500 companies, qualifies. They are patriarchal not just in the sheer number of males, but in their overall approach, culture and values.

Again, I refer to my comparison above... a situation that did not need to become deadly, in which deadly force was used. And a situation in which a known sex-offender was harboring a kidnapped child for 18 years, and simple TALKING and CHECKING HIS STORY, was able to flush him out.

I think many women might well be better at the actual job of being a priest, as well as lots nicer.

Yes, I want a Wise Latina for a priest, please! If one can sit on the Supreme Court, why not the Roman Curia?

Why are those of us who seek equality in the Catholic Church, being ignored and called unfeminist, when others who want to participate in patriarchal institutions, are enthusiastically exhorted to do so?

This is a double standard I find infuriating... and besides that, I just don't get it.

I'd like to discuss that here, if people are up for it. Play nice and be respectful, although pointed and intense questions are welcome. I'd really like to get to the bottom of this, actually, and a follow-up post will likely be the result of any qualitative and in-depth discussion.

Caution: No name-calling and baiting of any kind; I have already blocked the IP address of one troll this week, and I am ready to block more if I have to.

(Our Lady of Guadalupe candle is from my Flickr page. And a very Happy Birthday to you, Blessed Mother!)