THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Sunday, July 16, 1995 TAG: 9507160041
SECTION: LOCAL PAGE: B1 EDITION: FINAL
TYPE: Column
SOURCE: Elizabeth Simpson
LENGTH: Medium: 67 lines
I got a letter from the pope last week.
John Paul II wanted to apologize.
His letter, addressed to me and the rest of the women of the world, said he was sorry the church hadn't treated us right.
The Roman Catholic Church, to which I've belonged since childhood, is like a rock, and it seems to move like one sometimes. The pope has put his shoulder to boulder and shifted it ever so slightly.
Keep in mind that the church just got around to saying it was wrong for condemning Galileo in the 17th century. The astronomer's sin? He said the Earth revolved around the sun.
Though hundreds of years too late to benefit Galileo, the church's apology is timely in one way. Confessing past wrongs - call it spiritual housecleaning - is all the rage right now among religions.
Just a few weeks ago, the light bulb went off in the minds of Southern Baptists. ``Remember that slavery thing?'' they said. ``We were wrong.''
And before that, leaders of the Lutheran Church said they were sorry for founder Martin Luther's 16th-century writings attacking Jews.
Now it's the pope's turn to do another mea culpa.
His letter calls for equal pay and greater respect for women. He also says he's sorry the church kept women from doing things like reading scriptures in Mass in the past.
But the apology doesn't go nearly far enough.
I certainly don't expect the pope to condone abortion, but I do think he could be more reasonable about birth control. As a world leader he should acknowledge the poverty, starvation and misery that come with out-of-control birth rates.
And while I appreciate his urging equality in places like work, home and country - most of which I already have - he stood firm by the most glaring inequality in the church. Excluding women from the priesthood.
The pope says women can't be priests because Christ chose men to carry on his teachings. But take a look at the church.
Women may not be allowed to celebrate Mass, but they sure fill the pews. Studies show they tend to be more faithful than men in attending Mass, and more likely to see the church as an important influence on their lives.
Women form the backbone of the church, reading scriptures, serving communion, counseling parishioners, teaching children, helping the poor. In that sense, they are already carrying on the teachings of Christ.
Someday there will be women priests. It's just a matter of time.
The change will come not because of a divine revelation or a new interpretation of scripture.
No, it will come because of the simple rule of supply and demand. There just won't be enough priests to go around.
Too few men are willing to take the vow. The lifelong commitment might be too demanding, the vow of celibacy too daunting.
So look who's taking up the slack. Women. Nuns now have more responsibilities, and lay women are taking on tasks the church once barred them from doing.
The church should take that last step and open the priesthood to women.
I don't want to be a priest myself. But I look forward to the day when my daughters and I can look to the altar and see a woman priest.
Let's hope we don't have to wait as long for equality as Galileo did for an apology. by CNB