Roman Catholic Women Priests, An Oxymoron? 8/16

Carly Yuenger

The Vatican recently released a statement making the ordination of women priests one of the highest crimes against the church. Still, the ordination of Roman Catholic women priests continues.

On today's show we speak with Alice Iaquinta, one of many women who have gone through ordination as a Catholic priest--although some within the church refuse to recognize her ordination--and Father Roy Bourgeois, a priest who has been excommunicated for presiding over the ordination of women.

Do you think the Vatican will ever change its stance on the ordination of women? Do you think it should? Let us know what you think at our ongoing poll.

On today's program we'll also hear from our European Correspondent, Leona Francombe, about the Belgian perspective on secularism and the Catholic Church. For your reading pleasure, here's the transcript of her essay, "God in Translation," along with her other pieces in our ongoing series, European Vignettes.

Lasermonks.com

Update - 12/2/08: This show has aired. You can download the MP3 from our archive. Let us know what you think!
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Patrick Peczerski

One of our listeners recently sent us an email about a Cistercian Monastery in central Wisconsin that sells ink toner and cartragdes.  

Why are they involved in business you might wonder?  I was unware of this but Roman Catholic Monasteries in America must be self-sufficent.  I also learned that the business is doing so well (sales in the single digit millions) that they're able to donate the majority of their profits to charity.

Why would I buy from a Monk?  First, I immediatly trust them.  Also, I feel like what they sell will be of good quality.    This brings me to think - what lessons can laic, main-stream businesses learn from this ecclesiastical enterprise?  Can business make big bucks and be good at the same time?  Would you buy from a monk?