When I was younger, I was one of those people who thought women should definitely be Ordained Priests.  I thought it was so unfair, that women are equal to men, and should be allowed to do anything a man can do.  I thought the Catholic Church was unfair.  But slowly over time God spoke to me in whispers, and he showed me why I was looking at everything backwards.

First I was lead to St. John Paul II’s writings on the subject.  His APOSTOLIC LETTER , ORDINATIO SACERDOTALIS, was a beautiful writing that solidified the church’s teaching on the dignity of women.  He stated, “The presence and the role of women in the life and mission of the Church, although not linked to the ministerial priesthood, remain absolutely necessary and irreplaceable. As the Declaration Inter Insigniores points out, “the Church desires that Christian women should become fully aware of the greatness of their mission: today their role is of capital importance both for the renewal and humanization of society and for the rediscovery by believers of the true face of the Church.”

I realized there was wisdom in what the Pontiff said and I had a conversation with God about it.

God asked me, “what is a Priest, Susan?”  I answered with my heart, “a Priest is above all, a servant.”  God told me that for millennia, woman have been the servants.  Men went to work and to war, women stayed home and serviced the home and the children, and their husband.  I want these men to be the servants after my own heart.

I asked God, “but a Consecrated man is a holy man in your eyes, why wouldn’t you want that consecration for us?”  God answered me again, “what does consecrate mean?”  I answered, “sacred, to make holy.”  God said, “I have consecrated women with the ability to bear life within their womb.  That is the most holy high calling.”

I realized that God was not asking me to seek equality.  That in his eyes I am already equal. If I am a woman, a man, black, or white, poor, or rich, I am dignified and loved completely by Him.  He showed me I should be seeking holiness above all.

So here I am today, I am not envious that a man can be a Priest and women cannot.  I am in awe of God who gave Himself to us in the Eucharist, and enabled these men to bring the Eucharist to us, to let these men serve us, to love us.  Let them love us, with a servants heart, and the ability to bring God to us, Body, Blood, Soul and Divinity at each and every Mass.