[Sundaycommunity] Fwd: FutureChurch Responds to Pope Francis’ Interview Rejecting the Ordination of Women Deacons

[Catherine Walther]

When life wins there will be no losers. A'Ida Shibli


---------- Forwarded message ---------
From: Russ Petrus - FutureChurch <russ at futurechurch.org>
Date: Wed, May 22, 2024 at 9:09 AM
Subject: FutureChurch Responds to Pope Francis’ Interview Rejecting the
Ordination of Women Deacons
To: <catherine.walther at gmail.com>


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FutureChurch Disappointed by Pope Francis’ Dismissal of Historical
Evidence, Global Call for Women Deacons

FOR IMMMEDIATE RELEASE

*Contact: *Russ Petrus, Executive Director | russ at futurechurch.org


In an April 2024 interview with Norah O’Donnell, which aired on CBS on May
20, Pope Francis rejected the possibility of ordaining women to the
diaconate
<https://click.mlsend.com/link/c/YT0yNDg1NjgzNzI0Mjc2OTk2NDYzJmM9czBsMCZlPTAmYj0xMzIyNTcwNzUyJmQ9cDh1NHczdA==.nFubLw1iTQp4BRO_kCnFIb1SFfPNPbXtEV5C3A1ih-w>.
Asked if a young girl growing up Catholic today could have to opportunity
to “be a deacon or participate as a clergy member,” Francis’ one word
answer was simply “No.” When O’Donnell followed up specifically about his
previous openness to women deacons, Francis elaborated on the topic of
sacramental ordination: "If it is deacons with Holy Orders, no. But women
have always had, I would say, the function of deaconesses without being
deacons, right?"

The comments represent Francis’ strongest public opposition to ordaining
women deacons during his papacy. Pope Francis has previously signaled
openness to it in interviews and by forming two commissions to study
questions pertaining to women deacons. The fruits of those commissions have
not been made publicly available. It was also recently reported
<https://click.mlsend.com/link/c/YT0yNDg1NjgzNzI0Mjc2OTk2NDYzJmM9czBsMCZlPTAmYj0xMzIyNTcwNzU5JmQ9ZjJ0MGc1eA==.Dr09Af4RlYwlMArtjf3o2o8MMIkvBLsJzKf1cnqheWc>
that Salesian Sister Linda Porcher, who has helped organize sessions for
Pope Francis and the Council of Cardinals to learn about women’s leadership
and ministries, said he is “very much in favor” of a “female diaconate,”
though it was unclear whether she meant an ordained diaconate. Porcher also
indicated that Francis was looking to grant “some rights” to all the
baptized that have previously been reserved for clerics.

FutureChurch is profoundly disappointed that Pope Francis’ response is an
apparent dismissal of both the historical evidence and the global calls for
restoring women deacons.

“Pope Francis is either unaware of or has chosen to ignore the significant
historical and textual evidence
<https://click.mlsend.com/link/c/YT0yNDg1NjgzNzI0Mjc2OTk2NDYzJmM9czBsMCZlPTAmYj0xMzIyNTcwNzY2JmQ9bzZ6MGQ4dw==.YXAE4xD-vT9RRwf5xek8Z0-LtFLPlpFj1Uk_Nz0lgN4>
that women not only served but were in fact ordained as deacons in our
history,” said FutureChurch Executive Director, Russ Petrus. “Even still,
as Francis admits, women continue to serve the ‘function’ of a deacon
today. Who are we to deny them the sacramental grace of Holy Orders as they
respond to their call and minister to the urgent needs around them? We
should celebrate and support these women, including by ordaining them,” he
continued.

*A Synodal Church in Mission
<https://click.mlsend.com/link/c/YT0yNDg1NjgzNzI0Mjc2OTk2NDYzJmM9czBsMCZlPTAmYj0xMzIyNTcwNzcyJmQ9azFoMHEwZA==.rWMB_pWWoxekPkkAuc9QlgrYRO6fx6iKJrVqM66B96w>*,
the final synthesis of the October 2023 Synod Assembly, indicates that
significant conversation regarding women deacons took place during the
assembly (I.9.j). Moreover, synod delegates specifically call for continued
theological and pastoral research and discernment and making the reports of
previous study commissions available (I.9.n). In light of this interview,
FutureChurch reaffirms and joins those calls.

“It would be a betrayal of his own vision for a synodal church for Pope
Francis to silence the global conversation this way,” said Petrus. “But the
Spirit will not be silenced. And neither will women and their allies – lay
and cleric alike – who, led by the Spirit of Pentecost, which we just
celebrated, will continue to call for women’s full equality and access to
all seven Sacraments in our Church.”

END


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