According to a publication, Cardinal Víctor Manuel Fernández, prefect of the Vatican’s Dicastery for the Doctrine of the Faith (DDF), has apologized for the “misunderstanding” that caused his absence at a meeting of Synod delegates on October 18. , in which she interacted with the Vatican study group on the roles of women in the Church.
Attendees confirmed to CNA—EWTN News’ English-language agency—that there was significant frustration among delegates, both over the cardinal’s absence from the meeting and the way it was conducted.
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More than 90 synod delegates attended the meeting hoping to interact with Cardinal Fernández and members of study group five, one of ten announced in February to examine theological questions that emerged from the first session of the Synod on Synodality last year.
This group is charged with exploring “some theological and canonical questions surrounding specific ministerial forms,” particularly “the question of the necessary participation of women in the life and leadership of the Church.” This includes questions surrounding the possibility of the female diaconate.
Instead, those attending Friday’s meeting were greeted by two officials from the Dicastery for the Doctrine of the Faith who were not members of the study group, according to sources. Officials reportedly distributed sheets of paper with an email address to submit comments and were unable to answer most questions posed by delegates.
The Pillar reported that in a statement to Synod participants late on October 18, Cardinal Fernández said that he “regretted the misunderstanding” and that his absence was due “not to any lack of will, but to my objective inability to attend.” the scheduled day and time.”
The cardinal added that he had previously indicated that two officials from the dicastery would attend the meeting in his place. He offered to meet interested synod members on October 21 “to hear their reflections and receive any written documents from them.”
Earlier this month, Cardinal Fernandez announced that study group five had changed its focus and moved away from the issue of deaconesses as an ordained group.
On October 2, the cardinal said: “Based on the analysis so far… there is still no room for a positive decision” on the ordination of deaconesses “understood as a degree of the sacrament of holy orders.”
The cardinal said the group was instead examining the historical ways in which women have exercised authority in the Church outside of ordained ministry.
The question of deaconesses has been studied and debated in recent years.
In July 2024, Cardinal Mario Grech, secretary general of the Synod of Bishops, said the DDF was studying “the diaconate of women” in the context of its in-depth study of ministries.
However, Pope Francis has repeatedly reaffirmed that holy orders remain reserved for men.
In a published interview in October 2023the Pope said: “The question of whether some women in the early Church were ‘deaconesses’ or other types of collaborators of bishops is not irrelevant, because sacred orders are reserved for men.”
Meanwhile, Pope Francis held two private audiences over the weekend, involving women and lay members of the Synod. No details have been released about the content of these meetings.
He also received Cardinal Mario Grech, Cardinal Jean-Claude Hollerich, general rapporteur, and special secretary Riccardo Battocchio.
Translated and adapted by the ACI Prensa team. Originally published in CNA.
Anian Christoph Wimmer
Anian Christoph Wimmer, a multilingual Australian with Bavarian roots, is the editor-in-chief of CNA Deutsch. He held senior positions at Australia’s SBS and was editor-in-chief of the historic Münchner Kirchenzeitung. Graduated in Philosophy and Chinese Studies from the University of Melbourne, Anian Christoph Wimmer was on the jury for the Catholic Media Prize of the German Bishops’ Conference and was an honorary researcher in Communications at the University of Melbourne. He has served on the Board of Directors of Caritas in Munich.