Sundiata wrote:
To clear any misconceptions, know this: the Catholic Church was founded by Jesus Christ. His twelve apostles were men. Every clergy member can be traced back to the original twelve apostles through apostolic succession. That's why the clergy is male.
Not by the biological definition of parenthood. Only by a title passed from father to son (apostolic succession). Which is pretty dubious anyway: men are only allowed to be clergy if they can trace their male line some 2000 years back?
As an explanation of why only men can be clergy this reflects very badly on the church. It's "because we have a rule that isn't actually applied but makes women ineligible just because they are women".
"Because we say so" would be equally valid and less hypocritical.