We see more and more breaking with Tradition from the Amazonian Synod, I thought it fitting to address the theological concept of "form" and "matter". Today we will focus on the matter.
Each Sacrament requires, along with proper intent, form, and matter. Without these, the Sacrament is invalid and is not effectual. To use a firearm analogy, because I like them and want to fit one in, there is a "round," in the chamber but it is a dud; a misfire, a key component is missing.
All the components are needed for all the Sacraments. Now in light of the Amazonian Synod, let's look at the Sacrament of Holy Orders. The Catechism Of The Catholic Church states:
"1572 … All three ordinations, of the bishop, of the priest, and the deacon, follow the same movement. Their proper place is within the Eucharistic liturgy.
1573 The essential rite of the Sacrament of Holy Orders for all three degrees consists in the bishop's imposition of hands on the head of the ordained and in the bishop's specific consecratory prayer asking God for the outpouring of the Holy Spirit and his gifts proper to the ministry to which the candidate is being ordained."
What this means is all three, Bishop, Priest, and Deacon receive Holy Orders. The Matter of Holy orders is the laying on of hands by the Bishop upon the man to be ordained. Thus, the matter of the sacrament makes female ordination an impossibility. If a Bishop, even the one of Rome, was to lay hands on a woman-no matter if he uses the proper form or all the rites, it is ipso facto invalid due to incorrect matter, namely a woman. If we put it in more obvious terms; a woman can not be a father!
I hope this was helpful in better understanding the matter of the Sacraments.
- Neil "Hammer" Bodenheimer
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