This article is from the source 'nytimes' and was first published or seen on . It last changed over 40 days ago and won't be checked again for changes.
You can find the current article at its original source at http://www.nytimes.com/2016/05/13/world/europe/pope-says-hes-open-to-studying-whether-women-can-serve-as-deacons.html
The article has changed 8 times. There is an RSS feed of changes available.
| Version 6 | Version 7 |
|---|---|
| Pope Francis Says Panel Will Study Whether Women May Serve as Deacons | Pope Francis Says Panel Will Study Whether Women May Serve as Deacons |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| ROME — Pope Francis said Thursday that he would set up a commission to study whether women could serve as deacons in the Roman Catholic Church, a move hailed by women who have campaigned for years for a more prominent role in the church. | ROME — Pope Francis said Thursday that he would set up a commission to study whether women could serve as deacons in the Roman Catholic Church, a move hailed by women who have campaigned for years for a more prominent role in the church. |
| His remarks reveal an openness to re-examining the church’s long-held insistence on an all-male clergy. Yet the idea will face stiff resistance from those who believe that it is the first step toward ordaining female priests, something that recent popes have ruled out, citing church doctrine. | |
| The pope’s comments were made during an assembly of leaders of women’s religious orders and were consistent with his style: a seemingly off-the-cuff remark that opened a broad horizon of possibilities. | The pope’s comments were made during an assembly of leaders of women’s religious orders and were consistent with his style: a seemingly off-the-cuff remark that opened a broad horizon of possibilities. |
| It came during a question-and-answer session in which he assured the nearly 900 sisters in the room that he wanted to “increase the number of women in decision-making positions in the church.” | It came during a question-and-answer session in which he assured the nearly 900 sisters in the room that he wanted to “increase the number of women in decision-making positions in the church.” |
| One woman asked about the possibility of an official commission to study the issue. His response was, in essence, “Why not?” | One woman asked about the possibility of an official commission to study the issue. His response was, in essence, “Why not?” |
| “Constituting an official commission that might study the question?” Francis mused, according to The National Catholic Reporter. “I believe yes. It would do good for the church to clarify this point. I am in agreement.” | |
| “I accept,” the pope said later. “It seems useful to me to have a commission that would clarify this well.” | “I accept,” the pope said later. “It seems useful to me to have a commission that would clarify this well.” |
| The comments may prove to be more of a change in tone than a change in church practice, similar to his remark “Who am I to judge?” made in response to a question about gays during a midflight news conference in 2013. | The comments may prove to be more of a change in tone than a change in church practice, similar to his remark “Who am I to judge?” made in response to a question about gays during a midflight news conference in 2013. |
| Deacons are ordained ministers in the Catholic Church, and in many parishes they handle many of the same tasks that priests do. They are permitted to preach at Mass, perform baptisms, witness marriages and conduct funeral services. Deacons currently must be men over the age of 35, and they may be married (though if a deacon’s wife dies, he is expected to remain celibate). | Deacons are ordained ministers in the Catholic Church, and in many parishes they handle many of the same tasks that priests do. They are permitted to preach at Mass, perform baptisms, witness marriages and conduct funeral services. Deacons currently must be men over the age of 35, and they may be married (though if a deacon’s wife dies, he is expected to remain celibate). |
| Facing a shortage of priests, the church in the United States has for decades been actively encouraging men to become deacons to fill the gaps. The United States Conference of Catholic Bishops says there are now more than 13,000 men serving in what is called the “permanent diaconate.” | Facing a shortage of priests, the church in the United States has for decades been actively encouraging men to become deacons to fill the gaps. The United States Conference of Catholic Bishops says there are now more than 13,000 men serving in what is called the “permanent diaconate.” |
| Creating a Vatican commission is no guarantee of change. Such commissions can take years to reach conclusions and are only advisory. Pope Paul VI rejected the majority report of a Vatican commission in 1966 that, after three years of study, essentially recommended that the church lift its ban on artificial birth control. | Creating a Vatican commission is no guarantee of change. Such commissions can take years to reach conclusions and are only advisory. Pope Paul VI rejected the majority report of a Vatican commission in 1966 that, after three years of study, essentially recommended that the church lift its ban on artificial birth control. |
| It is far from clear that Francis favors female deacons or that a commission he appointed would even recommend this change. | It is far from clear that Francis favors female deacons or that a commission he appointed would even recommend this change. |
| Some Catholic women cite research showing that women served as deacons in the church’s early history. But the pope asked some skeptical questions at the assembly about whether the responsibilities of deaconesses in the early church were more circumscribed than those of male deacons. | |
| Francis said his first step would be to consult with the church’s doctrinal office “to tell me if there are studies on this.” The doctrinal office is led by Cardinal Gerhard Ludwig Müller, a German theologian who has long maintained that ordaining women in any capacity is impermissible. | |
| Lucetta Scaraffia, the co-editor of a monthly magazine on women and the church distributed with the Vatican newspaper, L’Osservatore Romano, said that although the pope’s words were encouraging, they did not necessarily reflect the views of most bishops. | Lucetta Scaraffia, the co-editor of a monthly magazine on women and the church distributed with the Vatican newspaper, L’Osservatore Romano, said that although the pope’s words were encouraging, they did not necessarily reflect the views of most bishops. |
| “I doubt much will come of it,” Ms. Scaraffia said. “I think the pope would like to open discussion, but there is strong resistance” to any ordination of women. | “I doubt much will come of it,” Ms. Scaraffia said. “I think the pope would like to open discussion, but there is strong resistance” to any ordination of women. |
| Still, news of Francis’ remark delivered a jolt of excitement to Catholics who have questioned church doctrine that women cannot be ordained because the disciples of Jesus were all male. | Still, news of Francis’ remark delivered a jolt of excitement to Catholics who have questioned church doctrine that women cannot be ordained because the disciples of Jesus were all male. |
| “I’m ecstatic,” said Sister Christine Schenck, who served for years as executive director of FutureChurch, an organization based in Cleveland that advocates greater roles for laypeople and women in the church. “I was just in prayer thanking God.” | “I’m ecstatic,” said Sister Christine Schenck, who served for years as executive director of FutureChurch, an organization based in Cleveland that advocates greater roles for laypeople and women in the church. “I was just in prayer thanking God.” |
| She said about 30,000 women already served in American parishes as “lay ecclesial ministers,” taking on many pastoral and administrative functions. Many of them have advanced degrees in theology and ministry. They are not, however, allowed to deliver the homily at Mass, and some are unsung and invisible in their parishes. | |
| “The vast majority of all these lay ministers in the United States could be ordained deacons tomorrow. They’ve met all the qualifications,” Sister Schenck said. “Being ordained as deacons would allow them to preach at Sunday Mass. It also would validate their ministry.” | “The vast majority of all these lay ministers in the United States could be ordained deacons tomorrow. They’ve met all the qualifications,” Sister Schenck said. “Being ordained as deacons would allow them to preach at Sunday Mass. It also would validate their ministry.” |
| The Women’s Ordination Conference, an American organization that supports the idea of female deacons, priests and bishops, said in a statement, “Opening a commission to study the diaconate for women would be a great step for the Vatican in recognizing its own history.” | The Women’s Ordination Conference, an American organization that supports the idea of female deacons, priests and bishops, said in a statement, “Opening a commission to study the diaconate for women would be a great step for the Vatican in recognizing its own history.” |
| That history, though, is a matter of some debate. Some scholars say there is biblical evidence that women served as deacons alongside men, but others say the women’s functions were more limited. | |
| In 1995, an American group of canon law experts said that ordaining women as deacons in the church would be in keeping with Catholic theology and past practice, though the Vatican never acted on that recommendation. The International Theological Commission, an advisory body to the Vatican’s doctrinal office, considered female deacons in 2002, but it reached rather muddy conclusions. | In 1995, an American group of canon law experts said that ordaining women as deacons in the church would be in keeping with Catholic theology and past practice, though the Vatican never acted on that recommendation. The International Theological Commission, an advisory body to the Vatican’s doctrinal office, considered female deacons in 2002, but it reached rather muddy conclusions. |
| Phyllis Zagano, an advocate of women’s ordination and editor of the book “Women Deacons? Essays With Answers,” said that until about the 12th century, women were ordained as deacons and considered clergy, but their roles varied among countries and dioceses. | Phyllis Zagano, an advocate of women’s ordination and editor of the book “Women Deacons? Essays With Answers,” said that until about the 12th century, women were ordained as deacons and considered clergy, but their roles varied among countries and dioceses. |
| “The real problem is that they can’t figure out why a woman can be ordained a deacon but not a priest,” Ms. Zagano said. | “The real problem is that they can’t figure out why a woman can be ordained a deacon but not a priest,” Ms. Zagano said. |
| Francis has been urged to give women a greater role in the church, where few women hold top positions in the Curia, the Vatican’s administrative arm. He has repeatedly acknowledged this shortcoming, but so far, he has not really addressed it. | Francis has been urged to give women a greater role in the church, where few women hold top positions in the Curia, the Vatican’s administrative arm. He has repeatedly acknowledged this shortcoming, but so far, he has not really addressed it. |
| At the session with the female superiors general on Thursday, Francis admitted that the integration of women into the life of the church had been “very weak” and said, “We must go forward.” |