Denying women positions of authority DOES seem to be something the Church claims as an 'inherent right' since *every* *single* *one* of their positions of authority is held by a man. They just don't push it in the 'outside world' because they know they couldn't get away with it. Women HAVE pushed back inside the Church and the Church CAN get away with it there. Our government has never forced the Catholic Church to allow a woman to be an ordained priest.

Honest question here - and feel free to tell me it's none of my business - but were you or are you Catholic?