Francis to create commission to study female deacons in Catholic church [National Catholic Reporter]

Francis to create commission to study female deacons in Catholic church

Joshua J. McElwee | May. 12, 2016


VATICAN CITY -- Pope Francis has announced he will create a commission to study the possibility of allowing women to serve as deacons in the Catholic church, signaling an historic openness to the possibility of ending the global institution’s practice of an all-male clergy.
The pontiff indicated he would create such a commission during a meeting at the Vatican Thursday with some 900 leaders of the world’s congregations of Catholic women religious, who asked him during a question-and-answer session why the church excludes women from serving as deacons.

The women religious, meeting with the pope as part of the triennial assembly of the International Union of Superiors General (UISG), told Francis that women had served as deacons in the early church and asked: “Why not construct an official commission that might study the question?”

The pope responded that he had spoken about the matter once some years ago with a “good, wise professor” who had studied the use of female deacons in the early centuries of the church. Francis said it remained unclear to him what role such deacons had.

“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."

Francis’ openness to studying the possibility of women serving as deacons could represent an historic shift for the global Catholic church, which does not ordain women as clergy.


Click here for the rest of the article:
http://ncronline.org/news/vatican/francis-create-commission-study-female-deacons-catholic-church

 

The Catholic Church isn't ready yet for this leap. If it's too survive, its first concession must needs be optional celibacy!

 

I would not take what the national catholic report says to be anywhere near the truth. It is not associated with the Roman Catholic Church and
promotes very unorthodox and Christian positions on homosexuality, abortion and women in the Church.

If there is another, trustworthy news source supporting what the NCR is reporting then it is worth discussing. In my are, we call the NCR the mullet wrapper. Mullet being a local fish. That is all it is good for.

Fr. Mark

 

http://www.abc.net.au/news/2016-05-...ning-door-to-female-deacons-in-church/7410556

It has also been reported here.

I have always thought the ordination of women would come first, as solo units of field forces are much easier to place and to move, where married clergy have to balance everything in with other sacred trusts. Suddenly the unit can not be re-located to the far flung outreaches of the Diocese, because the wife has a job, the child needs to finish high school, ... .

I suspect the Church under Francis' jurisdiction will look hard and move slowly. Women in waiting should not get to hope up too high just yet.

I care not a lot for mullet nor the NCR, so that seems a good match to me.

 

I am Catholic and I hope that the Catholic Church reconsider its position (not infallible) on women priests.
The times will be long.

 

I know there are Roman Catholics who want to act as though St. Pope John Paul II only made a suggestion with Ordinatio Sacerdotalis in 1993, because they do not like the theology or teaching. But it was not a suggestion. The language he used was of the same type as Pope Pius XII used in 1950 for the Immaculate Conception.

Neither had the specific word infallible in the pronouncement. The Roman Church has declared them both dogmas. The CDC very soon after Ordinatio verified it was ex cathedra because those who were pushing for the ordination of women poured over the document and nit picked it to find loop holes.
They did not see ex cathedra or infallible so they claimed Pope John Paul did not mean what he wrote.

It is settled dogma of the Roman Catholic Church. Rome says dogma can not be changed. Pope Francis will have to be very devious to change this in face of how the African Cardinals are watching him and have opposed him in attempting to change the definition of marriage.

I would suggest if you are Roman Catholic, move to the Old Catholics who ordain women and others or to the TEC. Or the local version if they are not in your country.

If Francis changes or attempts to change the Roman Church position on ordination, God help us all for the fallout will be terrible for Rome and everyone.

Celibacy should be tackled first. It is not dogma but a discipline. The Roman Church could make it optional, but if you look where vocations are the strongest in the Roman Church. It is in those parishes and Diocese who are Orthodox and have not given in to the spirit of Vatican II. A friend of mine who has an Anglican Use Roman Catholic parish get 2-3 vocations from young men each year. Usually 1-2 vocations from young ladies. He is opposed to WO and women do not serve at the altar or even read the lessons. His parish is growing. He is looking to add space for 3-400 more students at his school and is adding more Nuns to his teaching staff. Nuns in habits none the less. The Roman parishes that are faithful are growing.

Blessings

Fr. Mark

 

I am Catholic , I love the Roman Catholic Church and Vatican II.
The position on women priests is an act of the ordinary magisterium and it is not within the infallibility conditions.
It is not a formally defined dogma.
Many Catholic theologians say it.
An example: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Church_2011
No one has been excommunicated because it is not a dogma.
The Catholic church has changed many positions not infallible throughout history

 

it does not matter what Catholic theologians say....what matters is what the Church Magisterium says. 2007 The Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith by Pope Benedict's direction decreed automatic excommunication for anyone who attempts to ordain a female. The female and the Bishop ordaining are automatically excommunicated. Every woman who has been "ordained" in the Roman Church has been excommunicated.

Rome has declared Pope St John Paul II Ordinatio Sacerdotalis to be ex cathedra. Period. You are going against the dogma of your Church.

Here is a link http://ncronline.org/news/faith-parish/kansas-citys-first-woman-priest-has-been-excommunicated When the Bishop of Kansas City heard or read about it in the paper, her papers of excommunication were hand delivered to her by the Diocese.

You need to research your Church's teaching better. For you Rome has spoken and you must obey. If you do not like the teaching join the Old Catholics.

Just because you want it to be does not make it orthodox. After we were given the Nicene Creed, the Church embraced Arianism for 70 years. The Creed used to counter Arianism.

If you love the Church, love her. Don't attempt to blindly destroy her and think it is love.

Blessings

Fr. Mark

 

A ordination "illegal" for the canon law always involves the excommunication.
A month ago I heard a lecture of Cardinal Kasper and he also denied the dogmatic character.
I'm in good company.

 

Cardinal Kasper is a liberal who is trying to change the Roman Church. He is for so called gay marriage. He praises the gay lifestyle. He supports
government officials who oppose the Church.

He tried to change the definition of marriage in the two Synods on The Family. Luckily for the Roman Church the African Cardinals saw what was happening and crushed it. Cardinal Sarah should be Pope, not Francis. In my opinion.

You are not in good company. You are in the company of the diabolical. Kasper and most of the Germany Roman Church are in complete opposition to what Scripture and the Church teaches.

Again who cares what Kasper denies in regards to women ordination. His is a dissent. Rome has spoken. I have given you the references. You choose to ignore them because you have accepted the diabolical. And you do if you think Kasper is good company.

If you wish for what Kasper wishes for, you do not belong in the Roman Church. Go to the Old Catholics and leave the faithful alone.

Fr. Mark