http://www.thetablet.co.uk/news/554...into-allowing-women-to-be-ordained-as-deacons We know that the Church has taught infallibly that women cannot be priests. What is the role of a deacon? Deacons can baptise, witness marriages, perform funeral and burial services outside of Mass, distribute Holy Communion, preach the homily (which is the sermon given after the Gospel at Mass), and are obligated to pray the Divine Office (Breviary) each day. Any lay person can baptise in an emergency situation. The priest does not perform the sacrament of matrimony but is a witness to the sacrament as the couple administer the sacrament to each other. The permanent deacon has a precise and measured role of service to the Church that is open to married men who do not want to be priests. Pope Saint John Paul II infallibly taught, in the document Ordinatio Sacerdotalis, that Jesus did not give His Church the authority to ordain women to the priesthood. Priest are ordained to act in the person of Christ, the head of the Church. Deacons are not priests and they are ordained to serve the people of God in and through the liturgy, the Word and charity. So is it possible for women to enter the permanent diaconate if the Church so decides? Has the Church ever taught infallibly that women cannot be deacons? Discuss!
Possibly, this could happen? Francis noted, as many argue, that deaconesses played a different role in the early church from that of deacons, an office established by the Apostles to focus on caring for widows and the poor so the Apostles could focus on preaching. That could mean that the papal commission could re-establish an order of female deacons that falls short of actual ordination.
there was no such thing as female Deacons in the Early Church the cases these people keep citing were the wives of Deacons I suspect they know this themselves quite well
I often thought it must be strange for protestants going so totally against scripture and the practice of the Early Church,now it seems these snakes want us to do the same
I really don't have an opinion about Women Deacons. Does the Church have a regulation/dogma that prohibits it or is it just long held tradition. Also Gang! The folks in the Early Church came from the Jewish Middle East Tradition that probably did not differ too much from the way that Islam treats their women today. The Western Church-n-Christendom has evolved much since the Early Days. I sure would like to know what Jesus would think about this ............ and a bunch of other things I ponder in my old age!! Maybe we will find out soon! GOD SAVE ALL HERE!!
The reason they had women serve as deaconesses in the early Church was because people were naked when they were baptized, so they needed women to baptize other women. They also gave other women the anointing because it was improper for a man to touch a woman. Neither of those conditions exist now, so there is no reason to have women deaconesses anymore.
In his letter to the Romans, Paul addresses Phoebe as, "a deaconess of the Church at Cenchrae ... a helper of many and of myself as well" (16:1). In 1 Timothy we find women included with the men in the criteria for various ministries, "The women likewise must be serious, not slanderers, but temperate, faithful in all things (1 Tim3:11)." While the deacon had a clear and consistent liturgical role, whether baptizing or assisting the priest at the Eucharist, the deaconess did not. The orders of deacon and deaconess both continued to develop, but remained very distinct, with the deaconess being charged mainly with serving the needs of women. Here's the lengthy and very informative article on the matter: https://www.ewtn.com/library/LITURGY/AROSEBY.TXT If the history cited in the article is correct, it looks to me like the pope would be within his boundaries to re-establish the ordination of female deacons. Like in the early church, they wouldn't have the same role as male deacons though.
These are the times that test our souls. It's more important than ever to cling to the church and to trust that the Holy Spirit continues to guide her through the imperfect men who stand in for Christ.
Kitfalls, St. Brigid wielded a position of authority, however, Ireland was in a unique position. Within two generations of Patrick's arrival the majority of Ireland was Catholic, but its ecclesial structure had developed independent of Rome. Distance coupled with the collapse of the Roman Empire, had severed any meaningful ties. It is interesting to note that while Irish missionaries evangelized what is now Scotland and moved in a southerly direction, the missionary efforts of Rome's legate, St Augustine, evangelized in what is now England and moved northerly. When they met, it was very difficult for them to effectively integrate because thorny liturgical and governance issues arose. A primary example was that they celebrated Easter on different days. Anyway, what we 21st century folk look upon as irregularities, such as those presented by St. Brigid and the Easter question, must be understood in light of the isolation in which the Faith in Ireland developed. Safe in the Hearts of Jesus and Mary!
The subject of female deacons came up something like this. The pope, before he was the pope, had discussed the matter with a “good, wise professor” who had studied the use of female deacons in the early centuries of the church. However, Pope Francis said the role such deacons had continued to remained unclear to him. “What were these female deacons?” the pontiff recalled asking the professor. “Did they have ordination or no?" “It was a bit obscure,” said Francis. "What was the role of the deaconess in that time?” “Constituting an official commission that might study the question?” the pontiff asked aloud. "I believe yes. It would do good for the church to clarify this point. I am in agreement. I will speak to do something like this.” “I accept,” the pope said later. “It seems useful to me to have a commission that would clarify this well." Right now the issue is under investigation. That's all. Clearly, he's correct that it would be useful to have clarification. Could the investigation be motivated by a plan to install women deacons? Possibly. But what the pope may or may not do after the conclusion of the investigation is pure speculation. Catholics who bash the pope, those who are hyper-critical and suspicious of everything he does, are walking dangerous ground. Ask yourself, what will you do if Pope Francis does decide to install women deacons? Will you part ways with the church or will you stay and spend the rest of your life complaining about it? Will you be disobedient in your acceptence of female deacons? If the answer is no, why muddy yourselves with all of the vitriol against the Vicar of Christ? If the answer is yes, I will leave this shepherd and join another church, you're walking on that dangerous ground mentioned earlier.
Today's verse that "showed" in my e-box seems appropriate for this thread ;-) HeartLight Daily Verse - 13 May Proverbs 31:30 Charm is deceptive and beauty if fleeting; but a woman who fears the Lord is to be praised. Thoughts on today's verse: So many things we honor and exalt in our culture are shallow and temporary. The one thing that lasts in a beautiful woman is not her charm or her beauty, but her godliness. Let's make sure in our church families and our physical families that true and lasting beauty is clearly valued and amply praised! Prayer: Holy God, please give us better eyes and more faithful hearts that we may value in all people qualities that reflect your character. Bless us as we raise our children that we may instill in them a sense of proper values as they choose their life partner. And dear God, please help us in our churches to value and praise women for their holy character. In Jesus name. Amen. Visit heartlight.org for more GOD SAVE ALL HERE!!
Please don't decide to part company with the Church over female deacons. The Church did at one point have them and then it was done away with, so it would not be an innovation on Francis's part. I do think he needs to scale back on the things that shock the faithful. So many children of those who were upset at the changes of Vatican II left the church because of the grumbling they heard from their parents who felt that if the things that were changed were never essentials, what else is not essential? Many people right now in their 50s and 60s left the church for protestant sects because that is what they heard from their parents. I myself think Francis has actually not changed any doctrine, but the mere perception that he has is not good for the faithful. It does not attract new members, it alienates the old ones.
There already was a commission a few years ago that studied it, and concluded that there should not be female deacons.
Looking at the actual words of the Pope, it seems that he is saying he is unsure what the role of female deacons was in the early Church, and he wants to study that.
If that's the case, Heidi, what are you going to do if the pope's newest study decides there should be female deacons, and he acts on it?
