Vatican commission rejects female diaconate, although without a \u2018definitive judgment\u2019 The Vatican published on Dec. 4 the summary of the work carried out by the commissions studying the possibility of admitting women to the diaconate, presented to Pope Leo XIV by Cardinal Giuseppe Petrocchi. Petrocchi, the president of the Study Commission on the Female Diaconate created by Pope Francis, stated that \u2014 with seven votes in favor and one against \u2014 the possibility of admitting women to the diaconate as a degree of the sacrament of holy orders is ruled out. However, he emphasized that for the moment it is not possible \u201cto formulate a definitive judgment, as in the case of priestly ordination.\u201d Historical investigation into so-called \u2018deaconesses\u2019 This second working session \u2014 following the one held in 2021 \u2014 ended last February, and the conclusions were presented on Sept. 18 to Pope Leo XIV, who ordered that they be made public on Dec. 4. In a seven-page document, the cardinal stated that, based on a historical investigation, the commissions agree that the so-called \u201cdeaconesses\u201d existed in the history of the Church but with diverse functions and not equivalent to the male diaconate. Petrocchi emphasized that this question cannot be resolved solely with historical data and that, ultimately, it is up to the magisterium to issue a doctrinal judgment. Following the Synod on Synodality, everyone who wished to do so was invited to submit their contributions on the topic. The cardinal revealed that \u201calthough numerous submissions were received, the individuals or groups who sent their work numbered only 22 and represented only a few countries.\u201d \u201cTherefore, although the material is abundant and, in some cases, skillfully argued, it cannot be considered the voice of the synod, much less of the people of God as a whole,\u201d he noted. Christ is male and the sex of those who receive ordination Although there is not enough consensus to admit women to the diaconate, the votes show divided positions, with a clear tendency to maintain caution in this regard. On the one hand, those who support the female diaconate argue for \u201cthe equal status of men and women as images of God,\u201d while those who are against it recall \u201cthe fact that Christ is male, and therefore that those who receive ordination are male is not accidental but is an integral part of the sacramental identity, preserving the divine order of salvation in Christ.\u201d For those who oppose it, \u201caltering this reality would not be a simple adjustment of the ministry but a rupture of the nuptial meaning of salvation.\u201d Despite the lack of consensus surrounding the diaconate, there is unanimity on the need to expand the ministries instituted for women, further exploring the \u201cbaptismal diaconate\u201d (every baptized person\u2019s call to serve) and promoting greater female co-responsibility in the life of the Church. Petrocchi concluded by recommending that Pope Leo XIV follow a line of doctrinal prudence in his discernment as well as continue the theological study of the diaconate and, at the same time, open new ministerial spaces for women without resorting to sacramental ordination. This story was first published by ACI Prensa, CNA\u2019s Spanish-language news partner. It has been translated and adapted by CNA. Receive the most important news from EWTN Vatican via WhatsApp. It has become increasingly difficult to see Catholic news on social media. Subscribe to our free channel today EWTN Vatican on WhatsApp Almudena Mart\u00ednez-Bordi\u00fa Would you like to receive the latest updates on the Pope and the Vatican Receive articles and updates from our EWTN Newsletter. More news related to this article Pope Francis in Papua New Guinea: Put love before superstition, fear Students Use \u2018Hands, Head, and Heart\u2019 To Learn Dying Trades at Vatican Art School Pope Leo XIV receives European Christian leaders after signing of new Ecumenical Charter The Vatican & The Eastern Churches Concistory 2023: Presbyteral Titles and Vacant Diaconates Vatican News: Pope Francis speaks on Ukrainian children, Church growth in South Korea and more<\/p>\n