Former president ‘grossly misunderstands’ Catholic teaching

Last updated on: March 31, 2014 at 11:05 pm by CNA Daily News

Former president ‘grossly misunderstands’ Catholic teaching 2014-03-31T23:05:00+00:00 CNA Daily News

LOGO Patheos Explore the world's faith through different perspectives on religion and spirituality! Patheos has the views of the prevalent religions and spiritualities of the world.

Washington D.C., Mar 31, 2014 / 05:05 pm (CNA/EWTN News).- Prominent Catholic laywomen have responded to recent statements by former U.S. president Jimmy Carter, saying he lacks understanding of the Church and of the nature of service.

While talking to various media outlets, Carter has criticized the Church saying its teachings about the priesthood are responsible for the mistreatment of women around the world.

Carter’s “comments about the role of women in the Church show a gross misunderstanding of Catholicism,” commented Ashley McGuire, senior fellow with The Catholic Association, in a March 27 interview with CNA.

"As Pope Francis continues to remind us, it is service to others that is the primary aim of Catholics, not authority or power."

She added that Carter's statements "are insulting to nuns, whose work is just as important as that of priests," and that the conflation of "an all-male priesthood with domestic abuse is disrespectful to the Church and to actual victims of domestic violence."

Carter appeared on The Colbert Report March 26 saying he would join the Church if "a female Catholic priest asks me to join her church”; he has made similar statements in other interviews promoting his latest book.

Earlier this month, Carter said the Church's teaching on the priesthood influences men to "treat (women) as inferiors."

"The fact that the Catholic Church, for instance, prohibits women from serving as priests or even deacons gives a kind of a permission to male people all over the world, that well, if God thinks that women are inferior, I'll treat them as inferiors," he said in a March 22 interview with NPR.

"If she is my wife, I can abuse her with impunity, or if I'm an employer, I can pay female employees less salary.”

Carter has made similar comments discussing women, the priesthood, and Pope Francis on Huffington Post, CNN and other media outlets.

Jennifer Manning, a member of Catholic Voices USA, told CNA that “to say that ‘God thinks that women are inferior’ because women cannot be priests in the Catholic Church is a gross misunderstanding not only of Catholicism, but of God.”

Manning explained that Catholic teaching "does not treat women as 'inferiors.' God created men and women with equal dignity, each in the image and likeness of God."

She said contemporary thinking may not agree with the Church's understanding of the complementary nature or "harmony" of men and women, yet “this symbolism reaches deeply into Catholicism.”

“The Church is the bride of Christ: Christ marries his Church, gives his life for his Church.”

Kathryn Lopez, director of Catholic Voices USA, told CNA the Church has the highest "love, regard, respect, and gratitude for women.”

This love and respect for women is "unmistakable watching Pope Francis, who works with and listens to" women and has also "said on more than one occasion that 'the Virgin Mary is more important than any bishop and any apostle.'"

"This is no small thing," Lopez stressed, "and I pray President Carter might consider talking with some Catholic women who love our faith before attacking it."

Previous Post

March 31, 2014

Papal canonizations to be a spiritual event, cardinal stresses

Next Post

April 1, 2014 Vietnamese archbishop could begin new era of Vatican diplomacy

Browse Our Archives

Select a Category Americas Asia - Pacific Europe Middle East - Africa Uncategorized US Vatican

Select a Month November 2017 October 2017 September 2017 August 2017 July 2017 June 2017 May 2017 April 2017 March 2017 February 2017 January 2017 December 2016 November 2016 October 2016 September 2016 August 2016 July 2016 June 2016 May 2016 April 2016 March 2016 February 2016 January 2016 December 2015 November 2015 October 2015 September 2015 August 2015 July 2015 June 2015 May 2015 April 2015 March 2015 February 2015 January 2015 December 2014 November 2014 October 2014 September 2014 August 2014 July 2014 June 2014 May 2014 April 2014 March 2014 February 2014 January 2014 December 2013 November 2013 October 2013 September 2013 August 2013 July 2013 June 2013 May 2013 April 2013 March 2013 February 2013 January 2013 December 2012 November 2012 October 2012 September 2012 August 2012 July 2012 June 2012 May 2012

TAKE THE

Religious Wisdom Quiz

Which prophet said, "I desire mercy, not sacrifice"?

Select your answer to see how you score.

Daniel Hosea Joel Amos