Pressure mounts on Vatican as Bishops' Conference advocates for diakonate for women
Within the Catholic Church, only males are authorized to become priests or deacons at present. The German Bishop's Conference aims to advocate for equality and potentially alter this tradition at an impending Synod of Bishops. They are optimistic about making progress during this event.
Georg Bätzing, the head of the German Bishop's Conference, expressed his optimism concerning the possibility of women being eligible for diaconate ordination in the upcoming Synod of Bishops of the Catholic Church. "I ardently hope that the Catholic Church will authorize female diaconate ordination," Bätzing expressed, during the autumn assembly for the approximately 60 Catholic bishops of Germany, who assembled in Fulda. "We have amassed a multitude of reasons during the Synodal Way that support this. I perceive that the female vocation for this service within the Church is prevalent, acknowledged, and cultivated."
In the Catholic Church, only men have traditionally been permitted to become priests, and deacons are the only ones who have been allowed into the diaconate. Deacons can conduct weddings and funerals, but they are not authorized to lead Mass. Unlike priests, however, they can be wedded.
Bätzing characterized the issue of female diaconate as a "delicate" matter for the Catholic Church as a whole. "However, the Church has proven capable of handling such complex concerns in the past." Decentralized measures are feasible, and the decision could be devolved to the respective bishop's conferences, just as the diaconate for men varies across different regions within the Church. "Why wouldn't this approach be applicable to the female diaconate? I ardently desire this," Bätzing expressed.
The First Lay Catholics at the Synod of Bishops
The integration of women is a primary and defining issue for the Catholic Church moving forward. "I believe we cannot skirt this matter. The Synod will have to address this issue, or it will fail to meet the expectations Pope Francis has set globally."
The Synod of Bishops is one of Pope Francis' major reform initiatives. It held its initial session last year and is scheduled to conclude with the second round of deliberations by the end of October.
Among the 360 participants in the Roman Synod of Bishops are, for the first time, lay Catholics, including approximately 50 women. The Synodal Way is the reform endeavor of German Catholics that has incurred much skepticism in the Vatican.
The Synodal Way, a reform initiative by German Catholics, has presented numerous reasons for considering female diaconate ordination, challenging the traditional Catholic Church perspective where only men are authorized to become priests and deacons. The integration of lay Catholics, including women, in the Synod of Bishops, a major reform initiative led by Pope Francis, signals a potential shift in the Church's stance on this issue.
