Fr. Jerry Pokorsky: Sacramental Masculinity Rediscovered

By Fr. Jerry Pokorsky, Catholic Culture, June 15, 2026

Fr. Jerry Pokorsky is a priest of the Diocese of Arlington who has also served as a financial administrator in the Diocese of Lincoln. Trained in business and accounting, he also holds a Master of Divinity and a Master’s in moral theology. Father Pokorsky co-founded both CREDO and Adoremus, two organizations deeply engaged in authentic liturgical renewal. He writes regularly for a number of Catholic websites and magazines. See full bio.

[This is an abridged version of a much longer essay that was posted on CatholicCulture.org in April 2023.]

The first priests, the Apostles, were men. In 1994, in response to cultural turmoil promoting the ordination of women, Pope John Paul II reaffirmed that only men may be ordained priests: “The Church has no authority whatsoever to confer priestly ordination on women and that this judgment is to be definitively held by all the Church’s faithful.” (Ordinatio Sacerdotalis). The exclusively male priesthood is rooted in the biblical view of man and the Incarnation. The male priesthood is central to understanding Christ’s spousal relationship with the Church.

The account of creation emphasizes the inseparable connection of men and women. “God created man—male and female he created them.” Human love fills the earth with children, multiplies families, and reflects God’s design for communion. …

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