Luxembourg Cardinal Jean-Claude Hollerich believes that Francis will not introduce [invalidly] ordained priestesses.
Simultaneously, he referred to one of the Dubia of five cardinals which asked about John Paul II’s teaching in Ordinatio Sacerdotalis that women cannot be priests. According to Jean-Claude Hollerich, “Francis responded very wisely: It is binding, but not forever” (Kath.ch, 17 May).
In other words: Ordinatio Sacerdotalis means nothing and can be changed at any time. Hollerich confirms this interpretation: “It is not an infallible doctrinal decision. It can be changed. It needs arguments and time.”
John Paul II defines in Ordinatio Sacerdotalis that “the Church has no authority whatsoever to confer priestly ordination on women.” What was true then, must also be true now. In October 1995, Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger confirmed that Ordinatio Sacerdotalis is “infallible” and “is to be held always, everywhere, and by all, as belonging to the deposit of the faith”.
Since both positions, Ratzinger's and Hollerich's, cannot be reconciled, there is an open contradiction in doctrine.
Hollerich wishes that women “feel (!) fully equal” – “whether this happens through the priesthood or not is something that time will tell.” He knows women “who say that they feel called” to the priesthood, and he believes them. In the Catholic Church, a "call to the priesthood" is not something subjective but a call from the Church.
Showing that for him the Catholic Faith and Tradition is irrelevant, Hollerich fears only that “a storm” would break out on other continents if the Vatican “tomorrow” introduced an invalid ordination for women: “The Vatican would have to back down. There has already been a huge storm of indignation over ‘Fiducia supplicans’. And that's a small thing. It's not even about recognising homosexuality. It's just about allowing irregular couples [= unrepentant mortal sinners] to be blessed.”
Certainly, there will be no "storm" in Luxembourg since the Church is dead in this country and the few faithful in the empty churches are over 70 and 80.
Asked about a decentralization, Hollerich says that it will be difficult regarding the priesthood, “When it comes to the liturgy, I can well imagine it, especially since there are cultural versions.”
Picture: Jean-Claude Hollerich © Mazur, CC BY-NC-SA, #newsKkgkcqmkhf