Liminalescence

At the start, I need to fully declare my dissent related to the question of the non-ordination of women in the Catholic Church. I will write more on what dissent means to me later but for now, I feel the need to begin with what the church says about this. Because Jesus selected men as the 12 disciples, only men are capable of imaging Christ as "the head of the church." Because Jesus had the power as Christ to do otherwise but chose not to is the linchpin for the church's position, case closed. In the Catechism of the Catholic Church, a compendium of doctrinal teachings that the church revised in 1994, the writing is very clear about the difference between the ordinary members of the baptized priesthood and those who are ordained. "The ministerial priesthood differs in essence from the common priesthood of the faithful because it confers a sacred power for the service of the faithful. The ordained ministers exercise their service for the People of God by teachin...

§3. According to the knowledge, competence, and prestige which they possess, they [The Christian Faithful] have the right and even at times the duty to manifest to the sacred pastors their opinion on matters which pertain to the good of the Church and to make their opinion known to the rest of the Christian faithful, without prejudice to the integrity of faith and morals, with reverence toward their pastors, and attentive to common advantage and the dignity of persons.  - Code of Canon Law, Book II -  The  People of God, Cannon No. 212 Yeah, long title here but what I'm about to write flows from my emerging story in the church. Being a "2" on the enneagram means that I am a connector who values balance and works in community to help it fully live-into its vision and identity. This blessed reality requires holding various contributing beliefs and practices in tension, which is like holding a rubber band tautly between the index fingers and thumbs of two hands. ...