Once again, Pope Francis is harnessing the attention of the world for saying the same thing his predecessors have said. Whatever it is about this man, he has an undeniable attraction for stimulating hope and change among many (and possibly confusion among many more). Also undeniable, and predictable, is that the reporting media will misconstrue and misrepresent his comments.
This was again the case last week when news agencies around the world inaccurately reported the Pope’s inclination toward ordaining women as deacons and thus opening the door to women priests. In recent, impromptu comments before hundreds of women religious leaders in the Church, the Holy Father responded in the affirmative to a question about continued discussion about the history of women-deacons.
If yet another commission is convened, it will find what previous studies have shown: there is a necessary distinction to be made between the roles women played in the early church and that of the men who were chosen and ordained as deacons. Women served in the Church, especially in the preparation and assisting in the sacraments, catechesis, hospitality ministries, care of the sick, preparation of liturgies — much like so many women who serve in the Church today.
There is not convincing evidence that women ever received the sacrament of Holy Orders as we know it today. Like Pope Francis, previous studies on the issue have not ruled out the possibility of women deacons. However, as with all movements in the Church the questions must be based not on popular opinion but on the question of whether this is what Jesus intended and as interpreted by the apostles? Unless further evidence presents itself, the only conclusion to be drawn today is no.
