Sir, - In the light of what the Church has said about women's ordination, it is surprising to hear educated Catholics suggest that her teaching will be reversed before the end of the century.
John Paul II, in Ordinatio Sacerdotalis states: "In order that all doubt may be removed regarding a matter of great importance, a matter which pertains to the Church's divine constitution itself, in virtue of my ministry of confirming the brethren (Luke 22:32), I declare that the Church has no authority whatsoever to confer priestly ordination on women and that this judgment is to be definitively held by all the Church's faithful."
As if that were not enough, the question was asked if this teaching was to be understood as belonging to the deposit of the faith. The reply of the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith was "yes". This teaching requires definitive assent, since, founded on the written word of God and from the beginning constantly preserved and applied in the tradition of the Church, it has been set forth infallibly by the ordinary and universal Magisterium (cf. Lumen Gentium, 25, 2).
Thus in the present circumstances the Roman Pontiff, exercising his proper office of confirming the brethren, "has handed on this same teaching by a formal declaration, explicitly stating what is to be held always, verywhere, and by all as belonging to the deposit of faith." (L'Osservatore Romano, November 22nd, 1995).
For those who still would not take no for an answer, the Pope told German bishops: "You have the duty to reject contrary opinions put forward by individuals or organisations . . . do not hesitate to emphasise that the Magisterium of the Church has taken this decision not as an act of her own power but in the knowledge of her duty to obey the will of the Lord. . ."
If the vociferous advocates of women's ordination who visited Dublin recently were to be ordained, presumably they would continue to practise what they preach - namely, if you don't agree with infallible teaching, ignore it. - Yours, etc.,
C. T. Greenan, O.P., St. Saviour's, Upper Dorset Street, Dublin 1.