HOLY AND GREAT COUNCIL DOCUMENT

Draft Synodical Document

Δευτέρα 13 Μαΐου 2019

ORDINATION OF WOMEN DEACONS


 Arnaud Join-Lambert is professor of theology at the Catholic University of Louvain, international.la-croix.com
Pope Francis has announced that the Commission on women deacons has not reached an agreement. This comes as no great surprise.

It would have been naïve to expect a unanimous position, since the Commission's diverging positions have been clear for years. The eventual outcome will depend on the weighing up of relative dimensions. Four key issues are outlined here.
Historically speaking, there isn't a great deal of evidence, but what we have is clear. In antiquity, there were women deacons across the Mediterranean. Saint Paul mentions the female deacon (diakonos), Phoebe, whom he also refers to as his sister (Romans 16:1).
What role did women play in these communities? It is difficult to know exactly, just as it is to know exactly what male deacons' roles were, since they have changed over time and place.
In terms of sacramental theology, there are no explicit restrictions as of 1966 when the Catholic Church restored the diaconate as autonomous and independent of the ordination of priests.
Since the end of the Middle Ages ordaining women deacons was inconceivable because ordination into the diaconate was one indivisible step and women were excluded. It is now possible, and there is no need to invent a different ordination process from that of male deacons.
The socio-anthropological aspect shouldn't be neglected. Across different cultures the status and role of women is perceived differently. Being aware of this is entirely coherent with Pope Francis' repeated call to decentralize the Church, driven by the theological principle of synodality.
The permanent diaconate of men has set a good example to follow. After their discussion on the question, the Churches of Africa decided not to establish a permanent diaconate. This meant that the question of female deacons could be decided at the local church level.
Finally, the most important issue is that of pastoral theology.

Sacraments delivered by ordained ministers

Tens of thousands of women exercise diaconal ministries without being ordained for them. There are female prison and hospital chaplains and pastoral animators in schools, most of whom occupy formal roles which are sometimes salaried.
As Cardinal Koch wrote in 1997, this raises a fundamental theological issue. In the Catholic Church, the structure of which is sacramental, it is problematic for people to carry out orderly ministries without having received the sacrament of the corresponding order.
But what these women do is a clear demonstration of God's loving kindness and mercy to the fragile among us. We believe that their actions are effective, precisely in the sense of sacramentality.
These women are essential to the deployment of the diaconate, which is part of evangelization and the sacraments they perform are essential realities of our faith.
This whole issue should not be about making a concession. A female chaplain friend spoke to me about the vocabulary being used by ecclesial leaders, hearing statements such as "it is theoretically possible" and "why not."
She had been hoping to hear more enthusiasm and joy, such as "how wonderful it would be for the those to whom these women are sent."
Why then is there such hesitation when there seems to be consensus in all other respects? There are those who fear that this will open the door to women becoming priests.
Yet this is not the question at all. It could also be that everyone is waiting for someone else to make the first move. Let us hope that Pope Francis supports the delivery of sacramental duties by women deacons.
If it waits too long, the Catholic Church may prevent itself from performing its most valuable action, to deploy its sacramentality the world over – especially for the benefit of the most fragile – sacraments delivered by ordained ministers.