Name: Vatican commission says no to women as Catholic deacons
Uploaded: 2025-12-04T20:39:32.970Z
Duration: 1 min 40 s
Description: A high-level commission has voted against allowing Catholic women to serve as deacons, according to a report given to Pope Leo and released. For years, there have been discussions within the church about the possibility of women deacons who are ordained and can assist with church services.

A high-level commission has voted against allowing Catholic women to serve as deacons, according to a report given to Pope Leo and released. For years, there have been discussions within the church about the possibility of women deacons who are ordained and can assist with church services.

Rome

A Vatican commission has voted 7-to-1 against permitting women to serve as deacons in the Catholic Church, according to a report delivered to Pope Leo and made public. The commission cited historical research and theological investigation as reasons for excluding women from the role at this time.

The decision comes after years of discussion and advocacy for women deacons, with some evidence that women served in similar roles in the early church. While the report recommends continued study, the Catholic Church's clergy will remain all-male for its 1.4 billion members worldwide.

Vatican commission says 'no' to women as Catholic deacons

A high-level Vatican commission has voted against allowing women to serve as deacons in the Catholic Church. The 7-to-1 decision is in a report given to Pope Leo and released on Thursday, which says historical research and theological investigation, quote, excludes the possibility of allowing women to serve at this time. Italian Catholic Federica Mormonini said other churches do allow female leaders. I think Catholic churches should be more open toward women, because otherwise it will distance itself from Protestant churches, especially Anglican ones, which have female leaders. That's all, but take it or leave it, they are what they are. For a decade there have been discussions about and movements pushing for women deacons. Women are ordained into the role and can assist with church services, but not celebrate mass. This is Reuters Vatican correspondent Joshua McElwee. I think many Catholics might have expected the church would say no. The church has had an all-male clergy for hundreds and hundreds of years. There was some evidence, however, that women served as deacons in the early centuries of the church. Some women have said they believe God is asking them to take on the post, which is understood by the church as a role of service. I think it's quite possible that this issue will come up again, and especially if women around the world say this is something they think they are being called to, that God is calling them to this service, maybe the church would want to look at it again. The new report recommends further study, but for now the world's 1.4 billion Catholics will continue to have an all-male clergy.

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