Will it be? On the subject of the deaconate of women behind the pontificate of Francis, there is simply a fierce discussion that does not bring any conclusions. Liberals fuel their hopes of change, conservatives point to the Pope's conservative statements. Who's right?
“Mulieris diaconatus”?
This question can be answered briefly: nobody. The problem of the deaconate of women in church politics is simply a small more complicated. The Pope, yes, can make any decision – he is not bound by anything, even the Tradition of the Church. If in December 2023 he agreed to bless the union of the same sex, specified reservations must be put on the shelf. But Francis is aware of the accuracy of St. Paul said that not everything is beneficial. He could ask Cardinal Fernández to compose the declaration "Mulieris diaconatus", and the prefect of the Dicastery of the Doctrine of religion would faithfully fulfill his task, consulting details with a trusted narrow ellipse of progressive theologians. specified a step, however, would lead to disaster, leading to a visible division within the Church. There is no uncertainty that a comparatively large proportion of Catholics would not accept the sacramental deacon of women, including the assassination of the sacrament of ordination and contempt towards Christ himself. This Jorge Mario Bergoglio doesn't want.
The Pope's unknown “views”
What views Francis has on the "women's question" is not truly known. Yes, he has repeatedly spoken against the female priesthood, but the statements of the Holy Father cannot, unfortunately, be taken seriously. It is known that the pope frequently changes his mind, and even more frequently he speaks of various problems simply what he believes must be said at the moment, precisely due to church politics. A fewer years ago, he criticized multi - kid families to approve of them on all occasion. He declared that he could resign from office as Benedict XVI did, in order to later claim that the Pope was until his death. He powerfully criticized sex ideology, but in November 2023 authorized the admission of "transgenders" to baptism and various church functions. He praised the peripheral Church and the mediocre to then dismiss Africans. He announced a synodal process to be based on broad consultation, but during it he made respective amazing and authoritarian decisions, specified as on conventional mass. It can be the same with women. Today, the Pope is “against” their priesthood, but next day he will meet Ursula von der Leyen and find that her leadership abilities require a theological consequence and reshape the function of women in the Church...
Listen to the words, look at the actions
The only thing that is certain about the Pope is his proximity to a certain, very progressive church environment. In the meantime, we know that this environment is willing to let a female deaconate. We perceive to what the Pope says, but we look at what he does. He made his advisor and head of the synod process of Cardinal Hollerich, who considers the priesthood of women possible. Cardinal Schönborn's theology is constantly supported, who claimed that women could be priests if the general council so decides. He appointed to the College of Cardinals Marginal American Bishop Robert McElroy, who shortly after receiving the biret published a loud article supporting the female deaconate. He organized a full series of meetings of the elite Council of Cardinals with Catholic feminists; 1 of them was even attended by an Anglican bishop. Finally, it was only for his pontificate that the large discussion about the case was heated and a full array of theological articles and books supporting the female priesthood were published. In another words, verbally Francis opposes the ordination of women, but does much to saturate the governing structures of the Church with people who support it – and above all with the thought of sex egalitarianism.
What about Tradition?
Doctrinal or dogmatic issues do not play a more crucial function in this matter. Yes, they should play it, but the discussion is not on this level. Pope Francis, arguing against the deaconate and priesthood of women, never refers to a set of conventional church objections. In fact, these are simple: The Church cites the will of Jesus Christ. This will is not known for any words our Lord has left us, but it is deduced from His deeds. Christ, as we know, had men and women among his disciples. After the resurrection, Mary Magdalene appeared first; she brought the good news to his disciples. However, he included only men in the Holy College; the early Christians, even after leaving Israel and beginning their mission among the Gentiles, remained faithful, not trying to take over the “captain” patterns of the Roman cults, but preserving the male character of the judaic priesthood. Therefore, St. John Paul II in the 1994 "Ordinatio sacerdotalis" declared that the Church has the power to give the sacrament of priesthood only to men. In addition, it is pointed out that since the priest represents Christ, he should represent him as much as possible, including as far as the sex is concerned.
Pure discipline?
However, Francis, as I mentioned, does not mention to this at all. Criticizing the ideas of the priesthood of women, it alternatively points to different social roles of both sexes. This is an crucial but two-sided argument; sex roles vary according to culture. It is actual that in most human societies throughout history, men have held managerial roles; however, this is not an absolute rule without exceptions, especially present erstwhile the number of large figures of planet politics is full of women. It is on this plane that all modern supporters of the priesthood of women move. If Angela can lead the national Republic of Germany for many years and Ursula the European Commission, it is indeed a deep anachronism to claim that Alessandra or Julia cannot direct a parish or diocese. Proponents of change do not take the above-mentioned conventional church's objections seriously. In their opinion, the relation between the sex of Jesus and the sex of the 1 who in his individual performs the sacraments is not necessary, for only the human and Christian identity is important: it is adequate that the priest is simply a baptized man. They besides reject the argument of Christ's will, pointing out that since Jesus did not straight request that priests be only women, that is, that he left the Church free in this matter—and even if there were no women priests in the Church, there is nothing in the dogmatic side to prevent them from appearing now.
Resistance Problem
Why, then, did Pope Francis, who is surrounded by far progressive people, not yet make the decision to introduce at least the deaconate of women? It seems that there is only a question of ecclesiastical policy behind this failure. erstwhile Francis and Fernández announced the declaration “Fiducia supplicans” in December 2023, large perturbations took place. The Vatican paper rejected bishops from Africa and many another countries, including respective European countries. The case was yet settled on the basis of the adoption of the rule of “unity in diversity”. This is possible due to the fact that there are no formal blessings for LGBT couples, and that means that a couple of German gays who will receive a blessing from a priest in Munich cannot so have any claims for another treatment in Warsaw, Kiev or Kinshasa. With a deacon or a woman's chance, it would be different. A woman-deaconis or a woman-presbyter would be like that anywhere, not only in her diocese or even in her country. Dedicated to the deaconis of the Catholic Church, Austrian Helga Schmidt or Brazilian Maria da Silva would be deaconis everywhere, without exception. This could make opposition impossible this time with any regional concessions (Africans, for example, have approval from Francis not to bless LGBT couples).
Hollerich's strategy
A fewer months ago, Cardinal Holleri mentioned this very clearly. Luxemburg gave an interview to Swiss Catholic feminist Jacqueline Straub, who has been opting for the priesthood of women for years. erstwhile asked why, in the view of Straub, the Vatican is constantly deceiving women, the cardinal pointed to the anticipated resistance. According to Hollerich in the Catholic Church, “there is no infallible teaching decision”, which would exclude the introduction of the priesthood of women erstwhile and for all; the statements of St John Paul II should be understood as binding, yes, but only “present”. However, if Francis had made another decision, “there would be a hazard that [the woman's priesthood] would be seen as being pushed distant by liberal Catholics.” “We must be very careful not to origin a large other reaction. There would be a storm on another continents if a woman's priesthood was introduced tomorrow. The Vatican would gotta withdraw. erstwhile you scope besides high, small can be achieved. Be careful, decision forward step by step, and this way you can go far," he said. The strategy that Hollerich outlined here is indeed being pursued. The Vatican goes “step by step by step” by, for example, involving women in the decision-making structures of the Roman Curia or the Synod on Synodality. For Francis' pontificate, the function of women in exercising power in the Church has indeed changed. This has been widely accepted and, in fact, no one, not even Africans, is protesting against it. This creates the ground for subsequent changes, or otherwise: a Catholic opinion is made. This does not mean, of course, that the priesthood of women is just a “issue of time” – but it depends on the opposition of conservative environments.
They will be resolved, but – what?
The ‘working’ will continue. In early October, Cardinal Victor Fernández announced that a paper of the Dicastery of religion dedicated to women would most likely be announced next year. There will be no agreement for the deaconate of women; however, Fernández made it clear that this is not about final decisions, but about a "sual" solution. Moreover, he besides pointed out that the Holy See now rejects the “sacramental deaconate”. This means that fresh services can be created for women of a "diconic" nature, but without formal inclusion in the three-step sacramental structure.
What happens next, we don't know. However, if the issue of women is consistently treated by the Holy See as being dogmatic, only disciplinary, and at the same time weakening the opposition of conservatives – there are no reasons why the Vatican would not sooner or later introduce a female priesthood, at least if we stay solely on the level of church policy.
What the Holy Spirit says is simply a full different matter.
Paweł Chmielewski
