A Jewish Perspective on "Women Priests" Ordination

Enough already

Editor:

As a Jewish reader of the Review, about the only two words I could think of when I read Archbishop Burke’s column (Nov. 9) about the "ordination" of two women as Roman Catholic priests at a St. Louis synagogue were "oy veh!"

Don’t we have enough problems without "ordinating" female priests? After all, some Jews don’t even recognize female rabbis.

What could motivate Rabbi Susan Talve to intervene in a purely Catholic matter? While, like many nonCatholics I’m interested in the Roman Catholic Church and its history, short of it starting another Inquisition, its internal matters are none of my business or for that matter Rabbi Talve’s.

In the American vernacular we Jews don’t have a dog in this fight. Put into reverse context it’s as if a bishop told Jews they didn’t need to circumcise their sons to be Jewish.

The Catholic Church belongs to the Catholic community, and people who disagree with it are free not to be Catholic. Among my friends Rabbi Talve has little support on this issue.

Finally, although it’s none of my business, as an observer, I can’t understand how the two women who seek to be priests can be both Catholic and fail to submit to the authority of the Catholic Church. A Christian who does not want to submit to that authority can be described in one word — Protestant — some of whom, along with Catholics, are my best friends. I hope this recent incident doesn’t harm our friendships.

Norman Pressman
West St. Louis County

Source: St Louis Review, Letters