IT IS fitting — and in line with the present attitude of Church leaders — that Bishop Brewer, in Isis article on priesthood (November 23), should quote St Thomas Aquinas's statement that women cannot be validly ordained, but mentally handicapped boys can.
Bishop Brewer explains the principle behind this conclusion as follows: priesthood is not a profession. but a person. The priest is the representative of Christ.
Christ is neither male nor female and for God all people are persons. For the Church, however. a male idiot is a person — and a fit representatives of Christ — but a woman is not.
In these circumstances it is scarcels surprising that the faithful often have great difficulty in seeing Christ in His representatives.
N.C. MaeGregor-Fairlie Mr) New Milton,
Hampshire_