ACI Prensa Staff, Dec 4, 2025 / 13:37 pm
The Vatican published on Dec. 4 the summary of the work carried out by the commissions studying the possibility of admitting women to the diaconate, presented to Pope Leo XIV by Cardinal Giuseppe Petrocchi.
Petrocchi, the president of the Study Commission on the Female Diaconate created by Pope Francis, stated that — with seven votes in favor and one against — the possibility of admitting women to the diaconate as a degree of the sacrament of holy orders is ruled out.
However, he emphasized that for the moment it is not possible “to formulate a definitive judgment, as in the case of priestly ordination.”
Historical investigation into so-called ‘deaconesses’
This second working session — following the one held in 2021 — ended last February, and the conclusions were presented on Sept. 18 to Pope Leo XIV, who ordered that they be made public on Dec. 4.
In a seven-page document, the cardinal stated that, based on a historical investigation, the commissions agree that the so-called “deaconesses” existed in the history of the Church but with diverse functions and not equivalent to the male diaconate.
Petrocchi emphasized that this question cannot be resolved solely with historical data and that, ultimately, it is up to the magisterium to issue a doctrinal judgment.
Following the Synod on Synodality, everyone who wished to do so was invited to submit their contributions on the topic. The cardinal revealed that “although numerous submissions were received, the individuals or groups who sent their work numbered only 22 and represented only a few countries.”
“Therefore, although the material is abundant and, in some cases, skillfully argued, it cannot be considered the voice of the synod, much less of the people of God as a whole,” he noted.
Christ is male and the sex of those who receive ordination
Although there is not enough consensus to admit women to the diaconate, the votes show divided positions, with a clear tendency to maintain caution in this regard.
On the one hand, those who support the female diaconate argue for “the equal status of men and women as images of God,” while those who are against it recall “the fact that Christ is male, and therefore that those who receive ordination are male is not accidental but is an integral part of the sacramental identity, preserving the divine order of salvation in Christ.”
For those who oppose it, “altering this reality would not be a simple adjustment of the ministry but a rupture of the nuptial meaning of salvation.”
Despite the lack of consensus surrounding the diaconate, there is unanimity on the need to expand the ministries instituted for women, further exploring the “baptismal diaconate” (every baptized person’s call to serve) and promoting greater female co-responsibility in the life of the Church.
Petrocchi concluded by recommending that Pope Leo XIV follow a line of doctrinal prudence in his discernment as well as continue the theological study of the diaconate and, at the same time, open new ministerial spaces for women without resorting to sacramental ordination.
This story was first published by ACI Prensa, CNA’s Spanish-language news partner. It has been translated and adapted by CNA.
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The Vatican needs to get on with the mission of the Church as Christ mandated. Enough of these hissy fit, melodramatic, sideshows so reminiscent of a three-ring circus. I can’t imagine that Christ is pleased with all this histrionic posturing by hierarchs and their hangers-on types.
Yes indeed. Woke fashions, soon to be laughed into history’s dustbin, can never determine the Church Our Lord founded.
Nothing will ever satify self-worshiping Catholics whose egocentrism requires endless purssit of imaginary grievances towards all we’ve received from God.
The issue of permanent deacons who are NOT allowed to become priests is the main issue. What argument forbids women the same or parallel status? Same could argue that same status would not be possible because of scriptural prohibition of women preaching, but perhaps a parallel ministry could be possible where women would work more closely with other women in the Church. While the Church should not mirror society and its norms, society and technological advances have given women more time , status and freedom ; and has allowed them more freedom outside the home. The time and skills of the modern women are greatly needed in the Church and perhaps it’s time to give them greater authority and recognition. These are only personal thoughts snd I present them for discussion; and I will fully accept the final conclusions of the teaching authority of the Church when they are made.
Your comment, “The issue of permanent deacons who are NOT allowed to become priests is the main issue.”
I know a number of “permanent” deacons whose bishops asked them to be ordained to the order of presbyterate. The diaconate wasn’t instituted to be used as a political tool for intra-ecclesial spats.
Here we go again!
“Although there is not enough consensus to admit women to the diaconate, the votes show divided positions….” “although numerous submissions were received, the individuals or groups who sent their work numbered only 22 and represented only a few countries. Therefore, although the material is abundant and, in some cases, skillfully argued, it cannot be considered the voice of the synod, much less of the people of God as a whole.”
What did I just read? Since when is the church a body like the House of Representatives? We have to drum up “votes”?
A waste of time…..
Margaret: I disagree, we must face issues and not sweep them under the rug.
Brother Jaques: It’s a non-issue except for those of you who love to turn Christ’s Church into a forum to advance your political biases. Cut it out.
Unchanging truth is not an “issue.”
So, our study shows what previous studies have shown, and what the Church has always taught, but fearing feminist backlash we will say that, “it is not possible “to formulate a definitive judgment” and just kick the can down the road again.
Well put Crusader. With so many problems facing the Church–terrible economic mismanagement, homosexuality in seminaries and maybe way higher up, sexual abuse, declining number of priests in the West, declining number of faithful in the churches, churches being closed down regularly in Western Europe and in the U.S., with many bought by the religion of peace and changed into mosques, as recently in Florida, and so on and so on, and these people waste their time on this matter under the pressures that you mention. Very sad.
Aside from female deacons, the issue in effect dead in the water, the ray of hope left for proponents that a definitive judgment could not be made – really a soothing anaesthetic for the wounded – they’re other events that perhaps signal a change in Pope Leo’s current policy of following through with former Pope Francis’ agenda.
One is his revoke of Pope Francis’ Vatican Bank centralization of all investment – now to be compartmentalized among departments with access to external banks, the other is the request by Pope Leo XIV to the Orthodox Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew 1 for the return of the bones [fragments] of Saint Peter given as a gift by Pope Francis (see World Over 12.4).
What’s significant is that these are the first revocations of policy, acts, of Pope Francis made by Pope Leo. The unusual January Consistory of cardinals called by Leo may have more in store, likely the specification of his ecclesial policy whether conforming or departing from that of his predecessor.