I'm not sure whether MA or MT actually wanted to be priests anyway. I think they were more interested in living the gospels than earthly promotions. Especially MT.
I'm not a big fan of MA by the way. Her view on Contemplative prayer being satanic created unnecessary fear and paranoia.
Okay, Paul, but I wasn't talking about them specifically, really. You brought them up as an example of women who seemed to have achieved equal rights as men in the church after having "worked" for them, and I shot it down.
Women will never be equal until they are ordained. And they should be ordained.
This has nothing to do with the two examples you mentioned in particular, neither of whom I am entirely a fan of. Mother Angelica was a right-winger who often confused politics with faith, and who's television network has had a very negative effect on the state of American Catholicism. Mother Theresa was in many respects a great women, and maybe even deserved the Sainthood bestowed upon her, she obviously sacrificed a lot to help the poor and the suffering, *but* Mother Theresa on several occasion rejected donations of pain pills and refused to offer any to even her terminal patients, who, even though many were Hindu, she told to unite their suffering to Christ. She was offered medicine to give them to relieve their pain and she turned it down because she didn't want them to have it. That is unacceptable to me. MT was probably a Saint in every other respect, but as someone who suffers from chronic pain, that story really sticks with me and will always effect my opinion of her, despite the fact that it in many other ways is overwhelmingly positive.
But this thread isn't about those two women. It's about why someone like Fantine who would make a wonderful priest or deacon isn't allowed to pursue her vocation if she feels she has one. Also, this thread isn't about Fantine in particular either. These are examples. They're all examples.
The point is that all women should be able to follow their callings and be treated on an equal basis with men in all facets of church life and vice-versa.