March 30, 2013

Francis is being interesting. Again.

Another take on the famous foot-washing, this time as viewed by Benedict's crowd.
Virtually everything he has done since being elected pope, every gesture, every decision, has rankled traditionalists in one way or another. 
Right there, you have to like the guy. He's definitely going to liven things by trying to bring, you know, Christ back into the church. I loved his washing the feet of the juvenile offenders. In this simple action, there was a promising hint of his plans. Read the following and tell me there's still no possibility that women will become priests.
The church's liturgical law holds that only men can participate in the rite, given that Jesus' apostles were all male. Priests and bishops have routinely petitioned for exemptions to include women, but the law is clear. 
The words I bolded are regularly cited when rejecting the concept of women priests: Jesus' apostles were all male. Perhaps Francis sees this issue in a new light. It would be wonderful if he ended the all-male priesthood (and allowed priests to marry).

I've always had a notion that if the priests got a little (normal, adult, consensual) nookie on the side, they'd lay off the anti-gay theatrics. So who knows what the future will bring? Mind you, if he follows through on any of this, the church will become stronger. But a church like that I might be able to live with. And so might a lot of Catholics.

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