I saw the following book published with Imprimatur, 'Handmaids of the Lord, Women deacons in the Catholic church' by Jane Coll. http://www.gracewing.co.uk/page432.html There can never be woman priests as it is a closed question. But is it possible for women to be deacons? Not sure if the Church has ruled definitively on this. http://www.amazon.co.uk/Handmaids-Lord-Deacons-Catholic-Church/dp/0852447728
“Only a baptized man (vir) validly receives sacred ordination.” The Lord Jesus chose men (ver) to form the college of the twelve apostles, and the apostles did the same when they chose collaborators to succeed them in their ministry. The college of bishops, with whom the priests are united in the priesthood, makes the college of the twelve an ever-present and ever-active reality until Christ’s return. The Church recognizes herself to be bound by this choice made by the Lord himself. For this reason the ordination of women is not possible. CCC 1577 Deacons are ordained to their office. Women cannot receive ordination. There were women called 'deaconesses' in the early Church and some women bear this title in the Coptic Church (see below) to this day. Today we Catholics call them nuns i.e. women who have taken vows of poverty, chastity and obedience and who teach, nurse etc. http://www.convertjournal.com/2011/01/women-deacons/ The fallacy is that deaconesses were female deacons, which was never the case. Deaconesses had a totally different, non-liturgical role. The name was often given to the wives of deacons or certain widows and their most notable purpose was to protect the modesty of women being baptized (as in the Coptic Church). In the early Church, baptism was done fully nude. Deaconesses assisted by holding a cloth between a woman being baptized and the priest. Deaconesses also performed as catechists for women, still a lay function but now done by either sex.
Female Deacons? Ain't Gonna Happen Says Head of Papal Household Archbishop Georg Gänswein, prefect of the papal household, says female deacons ain't gonna happen. The possibility is 'excluded.' From PrayTell via Deacon's Bench Austrian Religion.orf, citing the January edition of Cicero, quotes Archbishop Georg Gänswein, prefect of the papal household, as saying that Pope Francis will certainly not admit women to the diaconate. He considers this possibility “excluded.” The longtime secretary of Pope Benedict XVI sharply criticized “many powerful interests” that wish usurp the new pope for their own interests. “But I scarcely believe that the pope will let his hand be forced by certain German initiatives in his pontificate.” (Several German dioceses have reported results of the synod questionnaire showing that even among engaged Catholics, Church teaching plays almost no role in their lives, with disagreement on some teachings extending to up to 90% of the faithful.) For many who are now enthusiastic about Pope Francis, Gänswein predicted, “their jubilation will remain stuck in their throats.”
In 1974, the International Theological Commission's Cipriano Vagaggini produced a 15,000-word study at the request of Pope Paul VI that demonstrates that the women deacons of history were ordained and that the longstanding practice of the church can be continued. See: http://www.litpress.org/Products/E8...to-the-diaconate-in-the-eastern-churches.aspx
Actually, women deacons did have several roles in liturgy, and were ordained in ceremonies with men. The practice of ordaining women to the diaconate continues in certain churches of Orthodoxy, with which the Catholic Church has reciprocal agreements relative to sacraments and orders. Best not create an ecumenical faux pas here by insulting the longstanding traditions of the East. See http://www.litpress.org/Products/E8...to-the-diaconate-in-the-eastern-churches.aspx
I give less thought to the role of women Deacons as to wondering about the role of Deacons generally in the Renewed Church that is emerging. The role of the layperson will be crucial as will the role of women of course. None of us will be able to take a back seat. The first they will come for to kill will be the priests and Bishops, so the role of Deacons, women and lay folk generally are all that will save us.
With which Eastern Churches do we have "reciprocal agreements relative to Sacraments and orders? The second largest (the GOC) doesn't recognise our orders at all. Which ones 'ordain' women as deacons? As I understand the position it is that while a Catholic may receive Communion in an EO Church in emergencies, the EO will not knowingly give the Sacrament to a Catholic in any circumstances. This isn't reciprocal is it? The EO, for example, don't believe in purgatory, this is no reason for us to follow their example in that matter or in any other. I know that some claim that women have been ordained deacons while others (I would say a majority) deny it, thanks for the link but one book doesn't prove it either way.
