Women Need More Power in the Church

Re “What the Catholic Church Needs: A Few Good Nuns,” Commentary, April 14: Margaret Carlson writes, “Let the priests keep their sacramental power and perks. The priests can be chairmen of the board, but let the nuns be the CEOs” (of the parishes). That’s where the problem is -- the women do the work while the men make the major decisions. Only when women are ordained -- have sacramental power and perks, are bishops heading dioceses, are cardinals at conclaves electing a pope -- will the Catholic Church be whole. It might take a miracle, but miracles do happen.

Damiana Chavez

Los Angeles

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Carlson’s thesis that Catholic wrongdoing would lessen if nuns had more say suggests women are less doctrinaire than men. But her grandmother’s acceptance of ostracism because of divorcing her alcoholic grandfather suggests otherwise. When faith trumps reason, sex of the decision-maker has little effect.

Leonard Greiner

Santa Ana

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Carlson is right -- what the Catholic Church needs is a few good nuns. She didn’t mention, however, that the average age of those wonderful nuns in the U.S. is 60-something. While bright, young Catholic women entered the convent years ago, their contemporary counterparts are not only serving in classrooms and hospitals, they are in board rooms, on soundstages, in law courts and the legislatures of this country. The church has missed a tremendous opportunity by discouraging women from serving in leadership positions. Let us pray that the cardinals, as they elect a new pope, don’t deal the church what could be a fatal blow by refusing to consider a married clergy and the ordination of women.

Marea Kelly

Pacific Palisades