Knowing our roles in the Church

Once a man becomes married to the Church he must be loyal to his bride, his first love, and not seek a human bride as that would be committing adultery to enter into a second marriage.

However, a man who has a wife and wishes to become a priest is taking his earthly marriage and entering into a more perfect marriage in union with God. Corinthians also says that each man as responsible to God, should remain in the situation God called him to.

Single men were called to a celibate life in Christ. Some of the apostles were married prior to being called to the priesthood, hence the reason the Scripture says let a bishop have only one wife. In the history and traditions of the Church, no priest ever got married, but married men could become priests.

Women have a separate but equal role to play in the Church as mothers, imitating the role that Our Blessed mother set for all women.

It is through our bodies that we make visible the invisible realities of God and this is done through two very important roles, fathers and mothers.

If a woman were a priest she would be trying to imitate Christ in his role as father in God, how, then, could she possibly be a mother?

The role of king, priest, father and victim in Christ are male roles. The role of queen, mother and victim in Christ are female roles.

Let each be what they were created to be.

Christy Carr

Midleton

Co Cork