Interlocking Pieces and the Maleness of Jesus: Exegeting the Americas Popes Statemen t on Gay Marriage and Ordination

of Women By Michele Stopera Freyhauf August 25, 2011 tags: America s pope, gay marriage, Jesus, Michele Stopera Freyhauf, Timothy Dol an, Women s Ordination by Michele Stopera Freyhauf On a 20/20 interview, posted August 21, 2011, Morley Safer interviewed the Archb ishop of New York, Timothy Dolan. Dolan is also referred to as Americas Pope. In this article, Safer calls him a scholar and a passionate defender of issues that h e considered to be settled questions. These settled questions? Gay marriage and w omens ordination. Gay Marriage: Incest, Necessary Attributes, and Interlocking Pieces Dolan makes an unbelievable comparison of gay marriage to the desire to marry hi s mother: I love my mom, I dont have the right to marry her. He further compared gay marriage to his desire to be a shortstop for the Yankees, which is not possi ble because he does not have what it takes. Both analogies Dolan uses give a clea r indication that he does not understand what a committed relationship looks lik e for a gay couple. Many in society share this ignorance. In fact during my da ughters health class, at a public school no less, she was told that sex was only between a man and a woman because they fit together like a jigsaw puzzle. Not o nly does this fail on words, it lays the foundation for bullying, repression of identity, sexual confusion, and problems for children who are members of a moder n family. Besides, last time I checked not all puzzles have interlocking pieces . The church defines marriage as an opening of oneself to a mutual aid and to self -giving to the other (1609). Within that same statement it also says marriage he lps to overcome self-absorption, egoism, (and) pursuit of ones own pleasure. This definition makes sense. Seems that what it takes is a complete and unselfish giv ing of oneself to your partner. Certainly both heterosexual and homosexual marr iages based on this concept have what it takes. To be quite frank, if we based ma rriage on this definition, instead of possessing the necessary attributes of a com mitted and loving relationship, the divorce rate in the U.S. would certainly see a decline. Women Ordination: Jesus was a Man, Jesus did not Ordain Women, and Maleness is N ecessary for the Mother Church to Give Spiritual Birth When it comes to the issue of women ordination, the statements become equally ap palling and misinformed. Dolan called Jesus a pioneer for womens rights; I certa inly agree with that. Living in a patriarchal world, the very fact that women a re named, permitted to travel, and given basic fundamental human rights demonstr ates this point. Dolans logic fails when he states that women were important bec ause they were at the foot of the cross, they found the empty tomb, and they tra veled with Jesus during his ministry on earth. The implication of that statemen t alludes to women as passive bystanders and not active participants in Jesus min istry. This is untrue. Women were active in Jesus ministry during his life and a fter; many women even were martyred for their devotion and service.