My Journey from Wanting Equality to Discovering God’s Design
Transitioning from a tradition that eagerly ordained women to understanding the historical and theological necessity of a male-only Catholic priesthood required a complete shift in how I viewed Church authority, ministry, and ultimately my own identity.
As a Protestant minister for more than forty years, I believed that ordaining women was both biblically justified and morally necessary. I had preached, led churches, celebrated communion, officiated weddings and funerals, and believed I was fulfilling God’s calling on my life.
When I began seriously studying Catholicism, however, I realised I had been asking the wrong question.
The issue was never, “Are women capable?”
The real question is:
“What did Christ intend?”
In Persona Christi
One of the most profound discoveries I made was that the Catholic priesthood is not simply a leadership position.
It is sacramental.
At every Mass the priest acts in persona Christi—in the Person of Christ—particularly during the celebration of the Eucharist.
This is not simply symbolic theatre.
It is a sacramental reality.
Jesus chose to become incarnate as a man. He deliberately chose twelve men to be His Apostles. This wasn’t because women lacked intelligence, holiness or courage. The Gospels consistently show women among Christ’s closest followers, often displaying greater faith than many of the men.
Instead, Christ established His priesthood according to His own divine plan.
The Church has faithfully preserved what she received rather than creating something new.
The Nuptial Mystery
Understanding the biblical image of Christ as the Bridegroom completely changed my perspective.
Throughout Scripture, Christ is presented as the Bridegroom.
The Church—all believers, male and female—is His Bride.
When the priest stands at the altar celebrating the Eucharist, he sacramentally represents Christ the Bridegroom giving Himself to His Bride.
This symbolism is not incidental.
It is woven throughout salvation history.
Once I understood this, I stopped seeing the priesthood as a position of power.
Instead, I saw it as a sacramental sign established by Christ Himself.
Women Are Not “Second-Class Catholics”
This is perhaps the greatest misunderstanding surrounding Catholic teaching.
The Church does not teach that women are inferior.
Nor does she teach that women are less gifted, less intelligent or less capable.
Quite the opposite.
The greatest human being who ever lived—after Jesus Christ—is the Blessed Virgin Mary.
She was never ordained.
She never celebrated Mass.
She never preached from a pulpit.
Yet no priest, bishop, cardinal or pope has ever surpassed her holiness.
That fact alone should cause us to pause.
If ordination were the highest honour in Christianity, surely God would have ordained His own Mother.
Instead, He showed the world that holiness—not ordination—is the true measure of greatness.
Women Shape the Church Every Day
As I have grown in my Catholic faith, I have become increasingly aware of the extraordinary contribution women make throughout the Church.
Women are:
- Mothers raising future saints.
- Religious sisters serving the poor, sick and forgotten.
- Teachers passing on the faith.
- Theologians helping deepen our understanding of God.
- Canon lawyers.
- Parish administrators.
- Catechists.
- Chaplains.
- Missionaries.
- Spiritual directors.
- Writers.
- Musicians.
- Evangelists.
- Youth leaders.
- Hospital visitors.
- Prayer warriors.
- Volunteers quietly keeping parish life functioning every single week.
- lectors
- Mentors
Many women lead ministries that touch thousands of lives without ever standing behind an altar.
The Church simply recognises that different vocations are not unequal vocations.
Equality does not require identical roles.
Discovering True Spiritual Authority
Leaving ministry was one of the hardest decisions of my life.
It meant surrendering the position I had held for decades.
It meant losing my livelihood.
It meant beginning again.
But through studying Scripture, the Catechism and the writings of the Early Church Fathers, I came to understand something that transformed my faith.
True spiritual authority isn’t found in holding an office.
It is found in obedience to Christ.
The saints continually teach us that greatness in God’s Kingdom is measured not by status, but by humility.
That lesson changed everything for me.
My Own Journey Continues
I now share my own story through my website, From Pulpit to Pew, my YouTube channel, and the books I am writing.
My hope is not to criticise my Protestant past—I remain deeply grateful for the people who helped shape my faith—but to encourage anyone sincerely searching for truth to investigate what the Catholic Church actually teaches rather than relying on common misconceptions.
If you are struggling with the question of women and the priesthood, I encourage you to look beyond the modern debate.
Ask instead:
What did Christ establish?
If the Catholic Church is truly the Church founded by Jesus Christ, then our calling is not to reshape her according to the culture of our age but to receive, preserve and faithfully hand on what Christ Himself entrusted to His Apostles.
That, ultimately, is where I found peace.
Final Thought
As a woman who once stood behind a pulpit, I understand the emotions surrounding this issue.
But today, as a Catholic, I no longer believe my worth depends on whether I stand at an altar.
My dignity comes from being a beloved daughter of God.
My vocation is to become a saint.
And that calling is open to every one of us—male or female.
If this article has encouraged you, you may also enjoy my testimony and other articles exploring my journey from Protestant minister to Catholic, why I embraced the Catholic faith, and what I have learned along the way. Together, let’s continue seeking Christ with humility, truth, and love.💕
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