The bad news is the correlation between extreme poverty and high fertility rates. This correlation transcends both geographic and racial boundaries. The good news is that fertility rates are declining, albeit more rapidly in nations with high standards of living and high levels of education for both men and women. In countries where poverty is ubiquitous and education is deficient, the start of the declining trend has been later, and they are still far too high (6 births per woman in Sub-Saharan Africa!). Given that "the bed is the consolation of the poor," the intensity of sexual promiscuity is understandable. It would be nice if they could understand and practice the Christian ideals of chastity outside of marriage and natural family planning by married couples. But to impose such ideals as the only acceptable norm, and to do so in an authoritarian way (as in Humanae vitae) is both arrogant and ludicrous. No wonder Humanae vitae has not been followed even by most Roman Catholic couples in the developing nations.

Figure 6. Gender Empowerment Measure (GEM) by World Region
Source: UNDP’s 2004 Human Development Report, Tables 24 and 25.
Note: GEM zero values for Roman Catholic and Islamic institutions added by the editor.

Summary of the joint analysis for MDG1, MDG2, and MDG3:

• MDG1 - Most poor women suffer both poverty and patriarchal subjugation.
  • World distribution of GDP per capita, UNEP GRID Arendal, 2002.
  • Global distribution of GDP per capita, Index Mundi, 2005.
• MDG2 - The largest fraction of the poorly educated are girls and women.
  • Illiteracy rates by region and sex, UNESCO Inst. of Statistics, 2006.
  • Number of girls per 100 boys in primary school , UN MDG DB, 2005.
• MDG3 - Fertility rates are higher in regions of virulent gender inequality.
  • Total fertility rates by world region, Worldbank GenderStats, 2001.
  • Total fertility rate (children born/woman), Index Mundi, 2005.
• Extreme poverty, lack of education, and unprotected sex are mutually reinforcing and strongly correlated with gender inequality.
  • Total fertility rate vs. GDP per capita, Index Mundi, 2004.
  • Total fertility rate vs. Literacy, Index Mundi, 2003.
• Gender inequality is both cause and effect of extreme poverty, lack of education, and unprotected sex. In other words, there is a positive (i.e., reinforcing) feedback loop linking gender inequality with extreme poverty, lack of education, and unprotected sex. Given the commonality of geographic distribution, there must be cultural-religious values that make this feedback loop very strong. These cultural-religious values may differ in other respects but share a common, highly phallocentric mindset.

Is there a way to break this vicious cycle? There is an increasing consensus that, at this point in human history, the next required breakthrough is to dismantle the phallocentric mentality and strive for gender balance in all human communities and institutions, both secular and religious. It is disgraceful that such mentality keeps inhibiting the gifts and talents of 50 percent of humanity, and this includes the spiritual dimension of human affairs. In the words of Buddha (quoted by Smita Poudel):

St. Paul had the same insight (see 1 Thessalonians 5:19-22):

The Second Vatican Council started in 1962 and ended in 1965. The council brought about a sense of euphoria that the Roman Catholic Church was about to turn the corner and face the world as it is and in the manner Jesus would have done it. It is by now clear that, whether intentionally or not, the council produced little but false hopes. The mystery of the church as "communio" has regressed to the entire church being silenced on critical issues such as the ordination of women. Idem with regard to the "collegiality" of bishops who, having signed the "oath of fidelity" to be appointed, must simply repeat verbatum the words uttered by the Vatican, or else.

At a time when there is increasing consensus that gender inequality is a huge obstacle to human and social development, it is noteworthy that most (if not all) the links in the chain of events that has transformed the postconciliar "fresh air" into the current state of repression have something to do, directly or indirectly, with keeping in place the subordination of women in church and society. This Consider the following chronology:

• Humanae vitae, 1968, trying to keep in ecclesiastical (male) hands all decisions of conscience relative to the gift of nuptial love and the gift of having children.
• In 1976, the Pontifical Biblical Commission concludes that the scriptures alone provide no basis for excluding women from ordination as a matter of divine will. The report is presented to the Pope, then ignored.
• Inter insigniores, 1976, arguing for the continued exclusion of women from ordination to the diaconate, priesthood, and the episcopate.
• Mulieres dignitatem, 1988, recognizing (better late than never!) that women are human beings, fully share human nature, and are entitled to the same dignity as men; except, of course, the dignity of serving in roles of religious authority.
• In 1989, the first version of the "oath of fidelity" is drafted, possibly to prevent another massive protestation like the one after Humanae vitae.
• In 1993, the Pontifical Biblical Commission concludes that the scriptures should not be interpreted in a "literalist" (as opposed to "literal") manner that ignores the culture in which they were written. The report is presented to the Pope, but never published.
• Ordinatio sacerdotalis, 1994, elevating the male-only priesthood from a matter of discipline to a matter of "definitive" doctrine -- a new classification that attempts to conflate what Roman Catholics must believe with "certainty of faith" with other doctrines which have never been defined as being "of the faith" (de fide).
• Evangelium vitae, 1995, a sequel to Humanae vitae reiterating the teaching on the "value and inviolability of human life" except for using even more authoritarian language. Most Roman Catholics keep turning away with fingers in their ears.
• Responsum ad dubium, 1995, affirming that there should be no doubt about the "infallibility" of Ordinatio sacerdotalis and decreeing that further discussion of the issue is forbidden.
• Ad tuendam fidem, 1998, including a revised version of the 1989 "oath of fidelity" which now includes (surprise!) Ordinatio sacerdotalis.

Scapegoating: Throughout this process, the Vatican keeps insisting the the church cannot ordain women because she "is not authorized" to do so by the Lord Jesus. This is not the first time that the Risen Christ has served as scapegoat for whatever the church wants (or does not want) to do. Most probably, it will not be the last.

Gendercide: There is a contradiction between the "pro-life" doctrine of Humanae vitae and Evangelium vitae, on the one hand, and the palpable "contraceptive" mentality of Inter insigniores and Ordinatio sacerdotalis on the other. The vocation of a person is a crucial dimension of the person's life. Isn't the refusal to ordain women an artificial contraceptive (perhaps even an abortifacient) of female priestly vocations, and therefore a form of gendercide? They keep insisting that married couples should not systematically avoid having babies, but they systematically avoid having to deal with the possibility of priestly vocations in baptized women. Given that men and women fully share human nature, and given that Jesus was human "in all things but sin," why is it that a baptize male can image Christ, and a baptized female cannot image Christ? The absurdity is self-evident, so they make Christ the scapegoat. Something smells fishy.

Options: Roman Catholic women who sincerely believe the Lord is calling them to ordained ministry better start looking for new horizons such as the Episcopal Church, some other churches of the Anglican Communion, some Lutheran churches, the Old Catholic Church, and churches of the independent catholic movement.

Bottom line: Most religious institutions, including the Roman Catholic Church, are heavily subsidized by national governments. Using tax monies of working people to support gender inequality is outrageous, and something must be done. Our "person of the month," Professor Janice Gross Stein, University of Toronto, has recently diagnosed both the disease and the cure.