text: why do people who don't believe in god try to tell the catholic church how to worship god? the catholic church will never have females for priests because jesus showed by his example that the 12 apostles (the first bishops) should be all male. and because jesus is god, his wisdom is as far above ours as the heavens are above the earth. it also says in the bible that jesus is the same yesterday, today, and forever.  but, why do people single out the catholic church for this criticism when muslims don't have female muslim clerics? some comedian, george carlin i think, once said "there is only one 'the church'."  he meant the catholic church.  people consider the catholic church public in a manner they just don't consider, for instance, the episcopalians or the baptists.    yet even atheists are potential catholics.  perhaps their complaints are a sign they instinctively recognize that the catholic church is indeed the true church of god.  the catholic church is theirs, too, even as they reject her.  consider it a backhanded compliment.