Cardinal Fernández: Female diaconate is not the most important response for women today

Cardinal Víctor Fernández has reaffirmed Pope Francis’ position against women’s access to the diaconate, an issue that will continue to be evaluated by a specialized commission, while the Synod continues to reflect on the role of women in the Church outside the Ordered Ministry.

During his intervention in the General Congregation this October 21, the Prefect of the Dicastery for the Doctrine of the Faith recalled that for the Holy Father the question of the female diaconate “is not mature”, and for this reason he specifically asked the members of the Synod Don’t “entertain” this possibility now.

However, the cardinal indicated that those “who are convinced that it is necessary to delve deeper” into this issue may send their considerations to the commission established by the Holy Father in 2020 to delve deeper into the issue and chaired by Cardinal Giuseppe Petrocchi.

In a similar way to what he said at the beginning of the Synod, the cardinal stressed that “rushing to request the ordination of deaconesses is not today the most important response to promote women.”

However, he stressed that the Pontiff “is very concerned” about the role of women in the Church and therefore asked for greater reflection “without concentrating on Sacred Orders.”

Other forms of participation of women in the Church

Cardinal Fernández once again referred to the reflections led by group 5, charged during the Synod with exploring, among other things, “the question of the necessary participation of women in the life and leadership of the Church.”

He pointed out that this group has analyzed different forms such as the lay ministry of catechist in communities without priests, an option that emerged after Dear Amazon and that was not widely accepted.

Thus, he recalled that Pope Francis has pointed out that priestly power, linked to the sacraments, “is not necessarily expressed as power or authority, and that there are forms of authority that do not require sacred order.”

To continue the reflection, she renewed her invitation to send to the dicastery “testimonies of women who are truly community leaders or who perform important functions of authority.”

“I especially ask the women members of this Synod to help collect, explain and transmit to the Dicastery various proposals, which we can hear in their context, on possible paths for the participation of women in the leadership of the Church,” he added.

Likewise, after the “misunderstanding” that caused his absence at a meeting of Synod delegates in which he interacted with the Vatican study group on this issue, the cardinal confirmed that there will be a new meeting on Thursday the 24th at 4:30 p.m. hours (local time) where you will listen to ideas and proposals.

He also expressed his hope that concrete steps can be taken to understand that “there is nothing in the nature of women that prevents them from occupying very important positions in the leadership of the Churches. What truly comes from the Holy Spirit cannot be stopped.”

The draft of the final document is already in the hands of the members of the Synod

Paolo Ruffini, secretary general of the General Secretariat of the Synod, reported during today’s press conference that the draft of the final document has been delivered this morning to the members of the Synod.

The document, which will be presented to Pope Francis, is being prepared by a commission made up of a president, 3 secretaries, 7 members representing each continent and 3 of pontifical appointment.

The future Cardinal Timothy Radcliffe, present at the briefing at the Holy See Press Office, urged not to look for “headlines” in this document since “this would be a mistake.” He also noted that “the Synod is a profound renewal of the Church” and a “new way” of imagining it.

For her part, Sr. Nathalie Becquart, undersecretary of the General Secretariat of the Synod, specified that the Synod also represents a “new way of articulating the primacy” of the Petrine ministry.