What did Pope Francis actually say about the female deaconate? Vatican City, May 13, 2016 / 04:55 am (CNA/EWTN News).- Yesterday Pope Francis raised eyebrows around the world after declaring his openness to establishing a commission to study the female deaconate, but a careful look at his full response is less of a shocker, and points to nothing new. In fact, in addition to giving a brief summary of a deaconesses duties in the ancient Church, Pope suggested that in modern times, nuns perhaps already fill the role. “(The question) touches the problem of the permanent deaconate. One could say that the 'permanent deaconesses' in the life of the Church are the sisters,” he said May 12, with a laugh. What were these deaconesses? Were they ordained or no?” he asked, and noted that the Council of Chalcedon in 451 spoke about the topic, but was “a bit obscure.” Francis’ comments came in response to a question posed by a sister and member of the International Union of Superiors General (UISG), who met with the Pope May 12 as part of their May 9-13 Plenary Assembly, which focuses largely on the role of women in the Church, and obstacles hindering it. Francis’ lengthy discussion with the sisters consisted of four questions that touched on the lack of consecrated and lay women in decision-making roles in the Church, how to better insert women into the life of the Church, as well as the temptations of both feminism and clericalism. In the question on deaconesses, the sister asked why the Church doesn’t include women in the permanent deaconate, since they already work with the poor and sick, and, in some cases where there is no priest, distribute communion, lead prayer services and even give the equivalent of a small homily. “What stops the Church from including women from being permanent deacons, like in the ancient Church? Why not form an official commission to study the question?” the sister asked. Part of the Church’s sacrament of Holy Orders, the diaconate is currently only open to men. Pope Francis said the topic of the female deaconate was something that interested him a lot when he came to Rome for meetings. He usually stayed at the Domus Paolo VI residence on this trips, and there met a Syrian theologian who was an expert on the topic of the permanent deaconate. After asking the man, whom he described as “a good professor, wise, a scholar,” about the role of female deacons, Francis said the answer he got was that their role in the early Church was “to help in the baptism of women, in the immersion…for decency,” and to anoint women's bodies. In addition to assisting with the full-immersion baptisms of women, deaconesses would also serve as an aide to the bishop in determining the authenticity of domestic abuse, he said. The Pope recalled how the Syrian professor told him that “when there was a matrimonial judge because the husband beat the wife and she went to the bishop to complain, the deaconesses were in charge of looking at the bruises on the woman’s body from her husband’s beatings and informed the bishop.” “This, I remember,” he said, noting that while the Church has already published documents on the topic of the permanent deaconate which touch on the topic of deaconesses, including a 2002 document from the International Theological Commission, the conclusion for modern times was still “unclear.” The document, which gave a thorough historical context of the role of the deaconess in the ancient Church, overwhelmingly concluded that female deacons in the early Church had not been equivalent to male deacons, and had “no liturgical function,” nor a sacramental one. It also maintained that even in the fourth century “the way of life of deaconesses was very similar to that of nuns.” However, given the lack of clarity on the issue today and due to the fact he was only speaking on the basis on his conversation with the Syrian professor, Francis said that “I think that I’ll ask the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith to refer me to the studies on the issue.” He also voiced his desire “to establish an official commission to clarify this point. I am in agreement, and I will speak to do something of this kind.” “To me it seems useful to have a commission that clarifies this well, above all regarding the ancient times of the Church.” In her question, the sister also asked the Pope to give an example of where he sees “the possibility of a better insertion of women and women consecrated in the life of the Church.” While concrete areas of insertion didn’t immediately come to his mind, the Pope said that “consecrated women must participate” in consultations and assemblies with religious, “this is clear.” Women, he said, see things “with a different originality than that of men, and this enriches: both in consultations and in decisions, and in concreteness.” The work consecrated women carry out with the poor and marginalized, in teaching catechesis and accompanying the sick and the dying, “are very maternal works, where the maternity of the Church can be expressed more,” he said.
I would certainly remain Catholic, but would perhaps begin attending the Latin Mass. Or, go to a parish that did not have a female deacon.
From a friend, a theologian: "Their two primary duties were: 1) To act as Portresses at the entrance on the women's side. [Men and women sat on opposite sites of the Assembly from quite early on. That practice was still in place in Ireland as late as the 1950's.] 2] Baptisms were normatively performed with the Baptizand naked. Ergo, it was appropriate for other women to lower the women into the water [normatively full immersion 3 times]. I teach this stuff."
Vatican urges caution on “diaconess case” The Substitute for General Affairs to the Secretary of State, Becciu, comments on Francis’ reaction to world media coverage of the news: “He called me, surprised”. Meanwhile, Fr. Lombardi said: “Let us be honest, the Pope did not say he intends to introduce the ordination of women deacons”. A look at the serious danger of clericalism 13/05/2016 ANDREA TORNIELLI VATICAN CITY “He called me, surprised, to talk about deaconesses! He is thinking about a commission. Let us not jump to any conclusions!” The Substitute for General Affairs to the Secretary of State, Archbishop Angelo Becciu, sent a tweet about Francis’ reaction to media coverage of the news about his willingness to discuss the matter. Indeed, his agreement to further study of the female diaconate – in answer to a question put to him – was passed off as a go-ahead for the ordination of female deacons. The director of the Holy See Press Office, Fr. Federico Lombardi, commented: “The Pope has a wonderful conversation with mother superiors from all over the world. He gave a beautiful and encouraging address on women, especially consecrated women, in the context of Church life and on their tasks in important positions in the dicasteries, without implying ordination.” “What got everyone excited was the fact that the Pope – in answer to a question – talked about a commission to study the issue of the female diaconate. The question, which was discussed a great deal in the past as well, arose because in the early Church there were female figures called “diaconesses”, who served in the community. A number of historical studies examined this fact and in was mentioned by the Pope.” “Also,” Lombardi said, “an important document issued by the International Theological Commission in 2002 talks about it. The Pope says he is thinking of establishing a commission that can look into these questions, offering a clearer picture. But let us be honest, the Pope did not say he intends to introduce the ordination of women deacons, much less so did he talk about ordaining female priests. On the contrary, speaking about preaching during the Eucharistic celebration, he made it clear that he is not considering this at all.” In his conversation with women superiors, Francis drew the line when it came to women pronouncing the homily at mass. It is fine if a woman – whether a nun or a lay person – preaches during a Liturgy of the Word. But “in the Eucharistic Celebration there would be a liturgical-dogmatic issue, because the celebration is one – the Liturgy of the Word and the Liturgy of the Eucharist are united – and it is Jesus Christ who presides over these. The priest or the bishop who presides does so in the person of Jesus Christ. It is a theological-liturgical reality. In this context, since female ordination does not exist, they cannot preside.” The Pope reiterated what he has said before about the need to give more space to women in the Church, on a decision-making level as well. “There’s no problem when it comes to leadership: we need to cautiously move forward with this, seeking solutions.” This was a reference to all positions of responsibility that do not require the presence of an ordained priest. Francis gave relevant examples, relating to the Roman Curia too: we shall see if at the end of the long reform and merging process, the criteria for giving more space to women and laity in general in the Church, will be applied, as has not been the case so far. The full transcript of the Pope’s conversation with the women religious has contributed to de-escalate the deaconess case. Francis spoke of “two temptations” we need to “guard against”. “The first is feminism: the role of women in the Church is not about feminism, it is a right! It is a right of the baptized with the charisms and gifts that the Spirit has given. It does not need to fall into feminism, because this would reduce the importance of a woman.” Bergoglio said that with regard to this, he does not see “a great danger among religious women” at the moment. “The other danger, which is a very strong temptation and I have spoken about it on many occasions, is clericalism. And this is very strong. Just think: today, more than 60% of parishes – I don’t know about dioceses, but perhaps a little less – have neither a financial council nor a pastoral council. What does this say? That that parish and that diocese is guided by a clerical spirit, only by priests, that parish life lacks synodality, a diocesan synodality, which was not introduced by this Pope. No! It is found in Canon Law, it is an obligation of the pastor to receive advice from the laity, for and with laypersons, women and religious on pastoral care and economic matters. But they do not do this.” This “is the danger of clericalism in the Church today. We must move forward and remove this danger, because the priest is a servant of the community, the bishop is a servant of the community, but not the boss of a business. No! This is important. In Latin America, for example, clericalism is very strong, very marked. The laity do not know what to do, they do not ask things of the priest... It is very strong. And for this the awareness of the role of the laity in Latin America has greatly been halted. Some of this is salvaged a bit only by popular piety: because the protagonist is the people and the people have done it on their terms, and among the priests this doesn’t interest them much, and some do not look well upon this phenomenon of popular piety. But clericalism is a negative attitude. And it has an accomplice, because it takes two to tango... that is: the priest who wants to clericalise the laity, the religious, the laity who say: “please let me be clericalised,” because it is more comfortable.” Finally, Francis told a telling story to illustrate his point: “This is interesting. In Buenos Aires, I had this experience three or four times: a great pastor, who comes and says to me: ‘You know, I have an amazing layman in the parish: he does this and this, he knows how to organize things, he does things on his own, he’s a really worthy man... So do we make him a deacon?’ That is to say: do we ‘clericalise’ him? “No! Let the layman remain a layman. Do not make him a deacon.” This is important. This can happen to you too, clericalism often keeps you from the right development of things.” This response, which echoes the one he gave Italian newspaper La Stampa back in December 2013 in answer to a question about the future possibility of female cardinals in the Catholic Church – and which raised a few expectations - clearly shows that allowing women to be ordained deacons is not among the Pope’s priorities when it comes to showing women a greater appreciation in the Church. It would be a principally “clerical” route.
They spent 5 years studying this under Pope St. JPII. Why the need to revisit settled subjects? http://www.vatican.va/roman_curia/c.../rc_con_cfaith_pro_05072004_diaconate_en.html
Well! I can't speak for others but ... The question of Deaconesses ... Yea/Nay .. is, "These Days", so far done the list of things I need to worry about that I can't find a notation of it ;-) GOD SAVE ALL HERE!!
