“The whole thing stinks to high heaven.”

It definitely does!  But, I’m not siding with Father Ed Tomlinson, the author of the quote and the parish priest at St. Barnabas church in Tunbridge Wells, England.  His comment comes as a response to the Archdeacon of Rochester refusing to allow him to hold services at St. Barnabas if he and his parish defect from the Church of England and join a “special branch” of the Catholic Church called the Ordinariate established by Pope Benedict to welcome protestants disgruntled over the Church of England’s choice to ordain women.

According to and article by Sky News, “The Church of England says that 1,000 of its 13,000 parishes are opposed to the ordination of women.”

Those who oppose women joining a higher station in the church like to refer to themselves as “traditionalists” because being called the “hypocrites” or “sexists” has all but been coveted by the Catholic hierarchy.

The story suggests that traditionalists believe they “have been badly let down by Church leaders.” As a Catholic, I’m thinking of defecting to the Church of England based on their more “traditional” stance of loving thy neighbor.  Father Tomlinson is apparently “infuriated” by the Church of England says Sky News, “The Archdeacon made it abundantly clear that he does not want to entertain the notion of shared worship space and that he would resist my remaining here in any capacity.”

Now that does stink to high heaven!  What makes Father Tomlinson think he can take his parish and only “figuratively” leave?  Why would Pope Benedict set up a special wing just to accommodate Anglicans against women?  And even more to the point, why do women continue to stay where they are not wanted?