Customer Reviews

Women at the Altar

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An historical sidelight on this book (which is a must read on the short list of the women's ordination topic):
the book was originally published by a "Catholic" publishing house owned by an order of Catholic monks. When the topic became a no-no for discussion according to the Vatican, the monks destroyed their 1300 remaining copies. The method of destruction however may (deniably, of course) have been a subtle answer to the Vatican clamp down on discussion. The monks burned the books in their furnace system, generating thereby for themselves "light and warmth". Painful as the experience was for author Sister Lavinia Byrne, she also could appreciate the humor.

This is a very good beginning point for those interested in women's ordination in the Catholic Church. Lavinia Byrne's writing is delightfully clear and quite readable. She speaks honestly from her own experience and includes enough theology that the reader can then go and learn more on their own. I myself cannot see what the Vatican found so threatening in it. . .

This book goes well beyond an academic treatise on Roman Catholic women's ordination. It discusses women's ordination as a fullfillment of God's presence both in human history and in individuals. Lavinia Byrne includes her personal experiences as she examines how the concpept of God the Father AND MOTHER have impacted her life and those of other Catholics. She is fairly explicit about the processes the Catholic church has used which not only deny women ordination, but even the awareness of a vocation for the priesthood. The language of this book is calm and thoughtful, but the thoughts and concepts are far-reaching. It is deeply troubling that the Vatican feels it necessary to mandate the destruction of this book , as wll as the severe harrassment of the author.

This book does not cover theological issues behind the ordination/non-ordination of women in the Catholic Church in depth. However, since the Vatican has demanded its withdrawal by the publisher, it must either have content that is seen as threatening by the Vatican or else the Vatican is just using a minor incident to show others how it can flex its muscles.

The CTSA report on women's ordination and infallible statements is much more useful if you're looking for canon law and theology instead of personal narrative.