Vatican City, Oct 14, 2023 / 17:20 pm (CNA).
The first woman to preside over a Synod of Bishops described the experience of sitting with Pope Francis at the head table as “a gift and a grace” — and a sign of things to come in the Catholic Church.
Speaking at a press briefing today, Sister Maria de los Dolores Valencia Gomez, a Sister of St. Joseph, described the participation of women in the ongoing Synod of Synodality as “setting the stage for future changes.”
“I feel that this is a gradual process,” said Gomez, who is from Mexico. “Little by little, we shall see changes.”
The Oct. 4-29 Synod on Synodality is an assembly meant to advise Pope Francis on how the Catholic Church can more fully incorporate all of its members. The assembly includes 54 women among its 365 delegates, the first time women have ever voted in a Synod of Bishops.
Gomez led the Synod on Synodality assembly yesterday morning in her capacity as one of Pope Francis’s 10 president-delegates. She described the experience of sitting with the pope “as a symbol of this opening, this wish that the Church has…for something that places all of us at the same level.”
Significantly, the Mexican sister’s presiding role came as the synod assembly began its work on the topic of “co-responsibility in mission,” which includes a focus on the role of women in the Church. One of the questions under consideration during this stage of the synod is the possibility of admitting women to the diaconate.
Affirming past Church teaching, Pope Francis has repeatedly stated that the Church does not have the capacity to sacramentally ordain women. At the same time, the pope has broken from precedent to give women governing roles in the Church, including in the Vatican.
Gomez described the involvement of women in the synod as a new “modus vivendi” for the Church, “a way of life for forever, journeying together with a permanent and ongoing dialogue.”
The Mexican sister did not directly address the question of women in the diaconate during the press briefing, but another synod member did.
Abbot Mauro-Giuseppe Lepori, the head of the Cistercian Order, shared that while the synod is discussing the possibility of admitting women to the diaconate, the topic is not “dominating” the discussion.
Instead, the Cistercian said that the focus at his table has been on the deeper theme of how the Church can “recognize better the baptismal dignity of women.”
Lepori said that the question of women deacons needs to be addressed “from the awareness of what the Church is and the awareness of men and women’s vocations in the Church.”
“The temptation is to be too superficial, in terms of slogans or groups who claim this or that,” he said. “This is something I do not see at the synod.”
However, Lepori also would not express his own opinion on the possibility of opening the diaconate to women, nor would he say what he expects to come from this question at the synod.
“The important things is not so much that we think about specific claims, but we seek what is good for the Church and for her mission in humanity, and undoubtedly the theme of women and their role in the Church is essential,” he said. “But I can’t say what this is going to bring.”
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Women Deacons? Probably not. But how about ordaining married permanent Deacons to the Priesthood? Theologically, it’s not a big deal. Don’t get rid of celibacy for most Priests, but allow the Bishops, on a case by case basis, to ordain married permanent Deacons.
We already ordain married Anglican Priests who have converted, so his is not really a leap into the unknown.
Women have come a long way since the Apostle said women in church need keep their heads covered and their mouths shut. Furthermore, a woman must not have authority over men, or assume the role of teacher. Either Paul was a misogynist, had not entirely surrendered his Pharisaism, or was highly opinionated.
Nevertheless he had elicited and accepted ministerial help, assisting him in teaching the faith from several women during his missionary activity. Perhaps what he said above was contextual, women are prone to chatter before Mass. But then so are men. At any rate his pragmatism seems to have won the day, his likely succumbing to the realities of missionary work in unfamiliar territory. Amazing how exigency can cause us to reconsider things. Imagine if we didn’t have the religious orders and communities of women teaching us religion and more. Presently, with the loss of the sisters, religious education has suffered dramatically.
Most women seem to think the role of priesthood belongs to men. That’s basically a Catholic attitude related to the natural law, and scripturally revealed teaching that man is the head of family and by nature is the leader. An increased role in the Church for women is a good when not exaggerated. Certainly ordination to the priesthood is reserved to men in imitation of Christ. Diaconate has been questionable, the concern that it endangers a male priesthood. Africa presented a modifying perception of the role of women in ministry, when sisters, most often African familiar with environment and culture, were doing the work of priests and deacons in virtually inaccessible areas. Roman pontiffs have previously confirmed that sacred orders are reserved to men. I’m not convinced that what’s occurring today within the Synod will affect sacred orders, which Sister María de los Dolores Palencia Gómez perceives as “a sign of things to come in the Catholic Church”.
I personally think covering my head in a sacred place is a good thing. God may not require it, but it benefits me and reminds me where I am and in Whose presence.
I wish everyone would be quiet in the pews. Our pastor has tried charitably to explain that friendly chatter is a good thing outside of church but distracting and not appropriate before and after Mass. But he’s had little success convincing the congregation of that.
Suggest to your pastor that he leave the lights mostly turned off until a few minutes before Mass.
I will, thank you Peter.
Mrscracker. When I was a young soldier on leave in Spain, I was impressed with the Mantillas worn by women in church. Absolutely beautiful. Back home in the US I saw nothing like the flowing, beautifully designed, some intricately colored head coverings. I purchased one in Madrid for my Mom and sent it to her as a gift. She wore it faithfully at every Mass since. Saint Paul deserves some credit despite his…well, highly opinionated view of women.
Insofar as the chatting just prior to Mass it’s the priest’s responsibility to remind parishioners, kindly and explaining why they should prepare spiritually in silence. Unfortunately, clergy have been intimidated by parishioners who seem to think it’s their right, some responding with angry silence followed by resentment. Nevertheless, we’re doing parishioners a true service by asserting what’s best for their spiritual welfare.
Before backpedaling, Abbot “Lepori said that the question of women deacons needs to be addressed ‘from the awareness of what the Church is and the awareness of men and women’s vocations in the Church’.”
Apart from any pseudo-theological castles in the sky, historically women came very much into their own, in the Church, already in the 4th through 6th centuries when they also helped construct Christian Europe—as patronesses for the relics of saints as growth points for Christendom, and as helping the growing capacity of the Church to distribute alms. The classical city began to be redefined less as a two-story institution for plebs and patricians, and instead as very much including women and the poor.
Women also assisted in other (non-ordained) “deacon” capacities such as female baptisms by immersion. If today’s mongrel Synod evolves predictably toward yet another nuanced request for now a third study commission on sacramental deaconesses, probably with dominant lay membership, attention to relevant history should be an elementary requirement, e.g., Gerhard Muller, “Priesthood and Diaconate,” 2000/2002.
For the illiterati to suggest that the ordained diaconate is sorta sacramental and sorta not, would be to impose an imaginary third way, just as anti-binary gender theory imposes its protoplasmic “third way.”
Enough.
Humble longing to serve is a noble calling. Wishing women and men aspirants for holy service – strength, stamina, fervor, and zeal.
The key word being humble. Being a humble servant to the Body of Christ is not a path to prestige & empowerment but some women seem to confuse that. Truthfully, some men do likewise. Perhaps that’s how women got off course in the first place.