The Thread of Patriarchy: Part II—Immutable Worldviews by Maree Sobolewski

The most persistent issue to emerge from the 2021–2024 Synod on Synodality was the role of women in the church. The Synod’s final document states this unambiguously: “Inequality between men and women is not part of God’s design. . . . We bear witness to the Gospel when we seek to live in relationships that respect the equal dignity and reciprocity between men and women. The widely expressed pain and suffering on the part of many women from every region and continent, both lay and consecrated, during the synodal process, reveal how often we fail to do so” (§50).

The issue of women’s ministry invites continued response from the hearts of the faithful as we enter the “implementation” phase of the synodal process. To this end, we are pleased to present a multipart essay by “committed Catholic” Maree Sobolewski of Australia. Maree originally wrote this essay to share with Synod delegates as they prepared for the second session in October. “The essay I have written is with a sincere heart,” she states by way of introduction. “I wrote it over a three-month period with much prayer and deliberation.” Part I of her essay is available here; we will be sharing the remaining parts through the end of the year—Ed.

The magisterium, and the last three popes in particular, have used a theory of “complementarianism” to validate the church’s marginalization of women, using justifications that endeavor to avoid the inequality perceptions of the past. Men and women have different but “complementary” roles and responsibilities, with each role said to be equal in value and dignity. However, headship and decision-making are still assigned to ordained men. This implies that it is not just presiding at Mass that continues to be out of reach for women, but many other associated roles, too, including ministerial, leadership, and decision-making roles, the diaconal ministry included.

In 1994, Pope John Paul II declared in his apostolic letter Ordinatio Sacerdotalis that women could not be priests as the church has no authority to ordain them. This teaching was formalized as a truth by the Doctrine of the Faith, with women’s gifts suitable to other feminine gender-related roles. The responsum (reply) has received extensive criticism from many theologians who disagree with what was said and the claim of infallible teaching. The criteria for absolute truth or infallibility were not met. Critics include Francis Sullivan, SJ, emeritus professor Gregorian University Rome and the Catholic Theological Society of America. Other laypeople and religious also perceive the declaration as unacceptable, lacking the universal and constant consensus of Catholic theologians and the common adherence of the faithful. Canon 749 §3 of the Code of Canon Law states, “No doctrine is understood as defined infallibly unless this is manifestly evident,” and canon 750 implies that for a doctrine to be set forth as divinely revealed by the ordinary and universal magisterium, it is first “manifested by the common adherence of Christ’s faithful”.

The Marian-Petrine Principle

The magisterium and the last two popes in particular have appealed to Hans Urs von Balthasar’s “Marian-Petrine” principle to validate the church’s “gender-complementarian” position on women. Von Balthasar hoped this principle would be used to integrate the papacy into the life of the universal church. The church, however, used the principle to define a “maternal” and “domestic” characterization for the role of women (the “Marian” principle). The ministry of authority was reserved to Peter, meaning that it is for men (the “Petrine” principle). The result was a “benevolent patriarchy” where women’s status was “equal” but tilted toward service to the masculine church.

In recent years, Pope Francis has continued to support the Marian-Petrine principle while also acknowledging the theology has yet to be developed. To his own rhetorical question in 2022, he answered, “Why can a woman not enter ordained ministry? It is because the Petrine principle has no place for that.” In a 2024 interview, Francis simply announced a resounding “No” to women deacons and the ordination of women—an answer that stunned many, given the church’s turn to “synodality” and its emphasis on dialogue. Further, the question of “the necessary participation of women in the life and leadership of the Church” has been clandestinely left to an unnamed study group, one of ten formed in the wake of the Synod. Transparency here is missing, and a group of men only would not project a synodal image. The other 14 study group members are all named.

The applied “Marian-Petrine” principle can be viewed as another measure of patriarchalism and a poor, dichotomous theological attempt to explain a much more complex matter. An act of patriarchal privilege gives men the role of authority over women and puts women in a vulnerable position under the dictates of men. The concept of complementarity should not be used divisively. It would be wiser to see the strengths of women and men as working together, sharing in ministerial, leadership, and decision-making roles.

Dogmatic Theology

What appears to have happened here is the church has continued to use deductive reasoning to argue a predetermined conclusion about women, set in motion centuries before. The traditional, dogmatic theology of the church is a closed loop where “faith seeking understanding” supports the institutional status quo.

It would be expected that a patriarchal mindset within a clericalized system would continue to produce a patriarchal church that discriminates against women. Dogmatic theology does not leave room for any departure from the “party line” where static traditions have simply propagated a static tradition. A doctrinal or dogmatic approach imposes a truth by an authority with preconceived beliefs.

Overlooked Flaws

The church in taking the above approach appears to have overlooked the flaws in the work of the early church fathers and reformers. There was a lack of attendance to their historical context and culture, to the meanings of words and the transference of meaning from one period in history to today’s context, and to the church fathers’ misuse of Genesis 3, 1 Timothy 2:11-15, and 1 Corinthians 14:34-35. The biases of the earlier Jewish writers of the Scriptures were also inadequately considered, and the prophetic voice of Jesus was ignored.

The church fathers had none of the resources of archaeology or linguistic tools available today. Their limitations, encultured biases, and reliance on reason and logic tied to an ahistorical static, fixed, and immutable worldview seem not to matter; the reality is that we no longer aspire to one superior normative culture as they understood it. This will not suffice in a postmodern society where the church is no longer regarded as a perfect society. ♦

Maree Sobolewski is a committed Catholic from Australia. She holds a master of arts in theology and spirituality and is a team member of Catholic Church Reform International. She has worked as an educator, a retreat leader and seminar facilitator, and a school chaplain, and has served as a missionary in Tasmania and the Northwest Territories of Canada. Maree has been actively involved in her parish for most of her adult life. She has served as a board member, prayer group leader, and international event coordinator, among other roles.

Image: Guercino, Saint Peter Weeping before the Virgin, 1647.