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.