Vatican commission rejects proposal to allow women as deacons

On December 4, a Vatican commission, established by the late Pope Francis to explore the possibility of women serving as deacons, concluded that women cannot be ordained to this role in the Catholic Church. The commission, created in 2020, built upon prior research into the presence of female deacons in the New Testament and early Christian communities. Despite its rejection, the group encouraged expanding womens participation in other church ministries.

The panel included Cardinal Giuseppe Petrocchi of Aquila, Italy, as president; Rev. Denis Dupont-Fauville as secretary; and ten additional members, consisting of five women and five men, including two permanent deacons from the United States and three priests. The findings were addressed to Pope Leo XIV and published following his request that the report, dated September 18, be made public.

One factor cited for the decision was limited engagement: only 22 individuals or groups from a small number of countries submitted contributions. The commission stated that, while the submissions were often thorough, they could not be considered representative of the broader Synod or the People of God.

The report presented eight theses for a vote. One notable thesis, regarding the masculinity of Christ and its link to holy orders, split the panel evenly with a 5-5 vote. Conversely, the preamble that suggested greater opportunities for women in church service received a 9-1 vote. It emphasized that pastors should discern new ministries to recognize the service of all baptized, particularly women, as a prophetic sign against ongoing gender discrimination.

Cardinal Petrocchi highlighted a theological debate within the commission. One view argued that deacon ordination is distinct from priesthood, potentially allowing women to serve as permanent deacons. Another perspective maintained the unity of the sacrament of Holy Orders and opposed female ordination, suggesting that admitting women to the first level of Holy Orders without access to higher levels would be inconsistent.

The report did not address differences in marital status between permanent deacons, who may marry, and priests, who must remain celibate. Previous discussions in 2019 by cardinals from the Amazon region had explored female deacons and married priests to address local clergy shortages. Francis subsequently formed the commission to examine these possibilities and ensure womens voices were considered.

The commission included U.S. Deacons Dominic Cerrato and James Keating, priests Santiago del Cura Elena, Manfred Hauke, and Angelo Lameri, and five female scholars: Catherine Brown Tkacz, Caroline Farey, Barbara Hallensleben, Rosalba Manes, and Anne-Marie Pelletier.

Author: Aiden Foster