St. Phoebe, 1st Century Deaconess

During discussions with 900 heads of female religious orders yesterday, Pope Francis indicated his desire to set up a commission to study the possibility of reinstating female deacons.

Vatican Radio is reporting on the comments made during a question and answer session with members of the International Union of Superiors General (UISG) who are holding their general assembly in Rome this week to mark the 50th anniversary of their founding.

“During the hour and a half long conversation about the mission and ministry of women in religious life, the Pope responded to several delicate questions, including one about the history of female deacons,” reports Phillippa Hitchens for Vatican Radio. “He said understanding about their role in the early Church remained unclear and agreed it would be useful to set up a commission to study the question.”

Apparently, he embarked on a study of the history of women religious years ago to determine how they served and if they were ordained, but said the answers to those questions remained obscure.

He also had misgivings about women giving the homily at Mass, calling it a “theological/liturgical” issue. While women could give homilies or reflections at prayer services, during the Mass, the priest is serving “in persona Christi” which is why he gives the homily.

As Hitchens recounts, male and female Deacons were a vital part of the early Church, then began to experience a decline after the 5th century. It gradually became just an intermediate stage for candidates who were preparing for ordination to the priesthood.

However, that changed after the Second Vatican when the Church restored the role of permanent deacon for single and married men. Because there is so much evidence of women serving as deacons in the first centuries, such as Phoebe who is cited by St. Paul in his letter to the Romans, many experts say women should be permitted to serve in this role. The issue is determining what that role would entail.

The pope’s consideration of female deacons stems from his desire to see an increase in the number of women in decision-making positions in the Church, something he has been very vocal about. He believes women’s perspectives are important for the elaboration and carrying out of Church decisions.

"For me, the elaboration of decisions is very important,” said the pontiff during the meeting. “Not only the execution, but the elaboration; namely, that women, whether consecrated or lay, are inserted into the process of the discussion.”

“Because [a] woman looks at life with true eyes,” said Francis. “We men cannot look at it so. The way of seeing problems, of seeing whatever thing is totally … different than men. They have to be complementary. In consultations, it is very important that women be there.”

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