8.134. Well, what can women do in the Church?
This question presupposes that value is tied to clerical office, and that if women cannot be ordained, then they must be relegated to “second-class status.” But this is false. In the true Catholic Church, a woman’s value is not measured by power or liturgical function, but by her holiness, vocation, and faithful service to God—the greatest example being the Blessed Virgin Mary, who is exalted above all bishops and priests.
Women have immense dignity and an essential role in the life of the Church—but not as priests or preachers. Rather, God calls women to be the heart of the Church: models of humility, purity, sacrifice, and holiness. Their influence is not diminished by not being at the altar—it is magnified by spiritual motherhood, whether lived in the world or in consecrated life.
In fact, the greatest creature God ever made was not a priest or a pope—but a woman:
The Blessed Virgin Mary—Queen of Heaven and Earth, exalted above the angels, yet not ordained.
Women sanctify the world by living their God-given roles—as mothers, religious sisters, educators, caregivers, and defenders of the Faith—not by imitating men, but by being truly, fully Catholic women.
| Category | Traditional Catholic View | Vatican II / Feminist View | Remarks |
|---|---|---|---|
| Dignity | Equal in worth before God, with distinct roles | Measured by identical roles and “equality” with men | Equality does not mean sameness; God ordains complementarity |
| Mary’s Role | Highest creature, model of obedience and holiness | Ignored or minimized in favor of activism | Mary is the model woman—not a cleric, but Queen of Saints |
| Spiritual Influence | Sanctifies the home, family, society, and religious life | Influence = activism, preaching, visibility | True power is spiritual, not political |
| Examples of Saints | St. Therese, St. Clare, St. Catherine, St. Joan, etc. | Modern women reject these as “passive” or outdated | These women moved Heaven and Earth through holiness |
| Roles in the Church | Religious life, education, charity, contemplative vocations | Lectors, “eucharistic ministers,” pulpit speakers | Liturgical activism does not sanctify—grace and virtue do |
| Marriage and Motherhood | Honored as vocations that shape nations and saints | Seen as lesser than careerism or Church “leadership” | Motherhood is a sacred calling, not a backup plan |
| Religious Life | Consecrated women live lives of prayer and sacrifice | Often discouraged or replaced by lay activism | Traditional convents are schools of sanctity |
| Fruits | Strong Catholic families, holy vocations, conversions | Confusion, gender confusion, priestess movements | “By their fruits you shall know them” (Matt. 7:16) |
Summary:
Women don’t need to be priests to change the world—they need to be saints.
The greatest conversions, the most powerful influence, and the holiest vocations often begin with a faithful Catholic woman—one who embraces her role with humility, courage, and joy.
Want to build up the Church? Be like:
Our Lady in purity,
St. Monica in prayer,
St. Joan of Arc in courage,
St. Catherine of Siena in wisdom,
St. Therese of Lisieux in hidden sanctity.
The devil hates the feminine soul that surrenders to God. And that is why the world mocks true Catholic womanhood—because it is the devil’s undoing, and God’s triumph.