Why Can’t Women Be Fishers of Men Too? July 28, 2014 Daily Reflection

My daughter fishing

My daughter fishing

My family went fishing last weekend. This is a picture of my beautiful daughter Anna casting her line into the pond in hopes to catch a fish.

I think it is amazing that God called fishermen to follow him. God is amazing in all that he does.  Jesus Christ was sent to be the savior of the world, to teach us forgiveness, unconditional love and how to deepen our relationship with God the father. Man, was Jesus a great teacher. He came for the poor and marginalized. He called people to him from the lower class who were uneducated men. Those fisher men through the power of the Holy Spirit were able to go out and teach what Jesus taught them.

I realize that we are all given a different purpose in life and different gifts to achieve those purposes. As a woman I still have trouble knowing that I cannot be a priest or a deacon. I may not agree with women not being priest but I understand where it comes from.  I do not think the same claims can be made for women not being deacons.  I know that the Catholic Church believes that women have an important role to play in the church, at least that’s what Pope Frances has said. I know that naturally God wants those of us who can to marry and have children and to be wonderfully, caring mothers and wives; thus spreading the love of God to a new generation. However, I don’t think the Church takes into account that women can be called by God to be deacons.  I feel sure that many moms have felt the call to dedicate their lives to God through this vocation. After all most deacons are married with children, why couldn’t a mom do that? Besides, most moms I know are so organized they would have no trouble taking on the role of Deacon.

Why am I told that my daughter cannot fish in the same way as my boys? She has the Holy Spirit burning in her soul, she will probably get married and raise faith filled children but just because she is a girl she cannot go further than that?

I love being a Catholic mom and the Catholic Church. However, there are some things in the Church that hurt as a woman and I don’t think that was the intention of God. Jesus Christ was very good at relating to women; there are many who were extremely significant in the Gospels.  In the history of our church I have read that there have been deaconesses. My heart is on fire for God and if it was a possibility I would truly discern becoming a deaconess as a vocation in my life. However, I am told because of my gender, not because I am married or have children, I am not allowed this option. It doesn’t anger me as much as it saddens me.

I would love to hear your feedback. If there are other women who would like to listen to a woman deacon give the homily on Sundays or see them serve the poor in their everyday lives. Let me know what you think. I value your opinions especially as fellow Catholic Moms.

2 Comments

  1. Bonnie Chester
  2. Jan Redle

Leave a Reply