UCA News: Women pained by papal commission’s ‘no’ to women’s diaconate
The commission’s conclusion signifies a tragic lack of courage, synodality, and pastoral leadership, Catholic women say.
Published: December 08, 2025 12:19 PM GMT
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Pope Francis formed two commissions to explore the possibility of ordaining women to the diaconate. The first was in August 2016 to study the theology of women deacons and their role during the early centuries of the Catholic Church, and the second was in April 2020, following discussions about the potential of a women’s diaconate at the Synod on the Amazon in October 2019.
The membership in these commissions was equally divided between men and women. The report of the first commission was not published.
The chair of Pope Francis’ Second Commission for the Study of the Diaconate released a report on Dec. 4, only in Italian. It rules out admitting women to the diaconate, understood as a degree of the sacrament of Holy Orders.
The report states that it is not currently possible “to formulate a definitive judgment, as in the case of priestly ordination.” The report is very disappointing to women and men in reform groups around the world.
“The timing of the release of this report — in the middle of 16 days of activism against gender-based violence — is a slap in the face for all women, a form of violence against women, and it is tragic,” remarked Nontando Hadebe, a woman theologian from South Africa.
Kochurani Abraham, an Indian woman theologian, quotes the report assertion: “The masculinity of Christ, and therefore the masculinity of those who receive Holy Orders, is not accidental but is an integral part of sacramental identity, preserving the divine order of salvation in Christ. To alter this reality would not be a simple adjustment of ministry but a rupture of the nuptial meaning of salvation.”
She finds the report’s “notions of the masculinity of Christ,” and the “nuptial meaning of salvation,” ridiculous. She said that the Catholic leadership and the magisterium are conveniently fixated on a pre-modern theology.
Comparing the masculinity of those who receive Holy Orders to that of Christ is indeed ridiculous, since Christ hardly displayed any traditionally masculine traits! For example, love is not considered a masculine trait.
Jesus consistently challenged the patriarchal culture of his time and amazed people. In doing so, he reached out to the suffering, the vulnerable, and the marginalized, offering them God’s love, peace, and joy. This was especially true for women, who were among his most devoted and committed disciples.
This conclusion signifies a tragic lack of courage, synodality, and pastoral leadership. At a time when the global Church desperately needs reform and renewal, especially concerning the role of women in the Church, the commission’s report reveals a hesitation to fully engage with both the historical evidence and the current pastoral needs of the People of God, as well as an unwillingness to listen to the Holy Spirit speaking through women’s experiences and the Synod process,” points out Russ Petrus, Executive Director of the reform group Future Church.
Colm Holmes, chair of We Are Church International (WACI), asserts, “Such commissions can be given a conservative or reformist bias, depending on who is selected. It would have been much better to use the Synodal process, including all the people of God, to determine if the Holy Spirit sees the equality of women as now long overdue in our Church.
It is widely recognized that women around the world are already serving as ‘deacons’ in both Asia and the West. They lead Eucharistic Liturgies in communities where priests are unavailable; perform baptisms and funerals, bless marriages, and administer the anointing of the sick.
Women hold communities together, and their service is greatly appreciated by the community. Yet, are they considered eligible for ordination to the diaconate?
For centuries, women have followed the example of Phoebe (Rom. 16:1). Throughout history, women have felt and expressed their calling from God to serve in ordained ministry. Today, the diaconal and priestly roles of women keep the Church functioning worldwide,” stated Kate McElwee of the Women’s Ordination Conference in the USA.
The press release from WACI noted that “In 1975, the Pontifical Biblical Commission on the Ordination of Women confirmed that there was nothing in scripture to exclude women from ordination.”
And on Oct 26, Pope Leo XIV affirmed that including women is a cultural issue. But it is time for the Church to evangelize cultures like Jesus did in his time. When he made a woman the first witness of his resurrection, he broke the cultural taboo of contamination and impurity by allowing the woman with the flow of blood to touch him and praising her faith; he spoke with a Samaritan woman and discussed scripture with her. These are just some examples, the WACI press release said.
Future Church, a US-based advocacy group for Catholic reform, in a press release, said: “As long as the Church refuses to affirm women’s gifts and recognize their vocations to ordained ministry, it will continue to undermine its credibility and mission. Catholics around the world — especially women who serve, preach, and lead — deserve more.”
We can only hope that Pope Leo XIV, who has demonstrated great sensitivity in areas of justice and solidarity, will make a genuine effort to listen to women who feel called to pastoral ministry, as well as those already serving in parishes as pastoral assistants, and do them justice by ordaining them to the diaconate at the very least.
*The views expressed in this article are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the official editorial position of UCA News.