The Archdiocese of Madrid includes women’s access “to all ministries and specifically addressing the female diaconate” in its proposals for the second session of the Synodality Synod that will be held next October.
This is stated in the document Response of the Archdiocese of Madrid to the ‘Towards October 2024’ Form based on the contributions of the groups prepared from the 57 questionnaires collected by the archdiocese in which 856 people of the more than 4 million souls entrusted to it have participated, according to data from the Spanish Episcopal Conference.
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This request on the female diaconate is part of the proposals on co-responsibility in the mission of the Church, and is formulated as follows: “Local Churches are asked to determine ways and occasions in which to give visibility and recognition to the charismas and ministries that enrich the community. Having said this, the need to address the way of access and exercise of ordained ministries is pointed out in order to overcome clericalism. Specifically, it is requested to promote, update and make visible lay ministries; to delve into the role of priests and deacons in a synodal Church; “the access of women to all ministries and that the female diaconate be specifically addressed.”
The responses collected by the Archbishopric of Madrid respond to the proposal made last December by the General Secretariat of the Synod for an in-depth exercise on the issues discussed in the first session of the Synod of Synodality in October 2023 and collected in the Synthesis Report.
Taking as reference the question “How to be a synodal Church in mission?” and the Synthesis Report, those who have participated in this process consider that the main priorities among the 20 proposed issues are, from highest to lowest: “-9. Women in the life and mission of the Church -16. For a Church that listens and accompanies -4. “The poor, protagonists of the path of the Church.”
To put these priorities into practice, the implementation of pastoral councils “at all levels” is proposed, with three characteristics: that they are mandatory, which must be included in the Code of Canon Law; configured in a transversal way (with representation of “all the people of God”); and that they have a “decision-making and binding character beyond advisory”.
In the field of formation, there is a special emphasis on reviewing that of future priests “so that it has a more pastoral character and the germs of clericalism are eradicated.”
Thirdly, it is requested to “enhance listening and reception”, by training appropriate people and creating channels such as “the creation of physical or digital mailboxes in parishes”.
Verification of the bishop’s tasks
Regarding the second part of the Synthesis Report, referring to co-responsibility in the mission of the Church, the Archdiocese of Madrid highlights three priorities, the first of them related to the ministries, which includes the proposal favorable to the female diaconate.
Furthermore, there is a commitment to the “need to excite” all the baptized in the task of the mission, inviting them to “focus pastoral action on the announcement of the kerygma, not only on a dispensation of sacraments, and to put the character missionary of the Eucharist.”
Thirdly, “the need arises to accept the presence of lay people (men and women) in decision-making places and to activate structures and processes to verify the bishop’s tasks.”
Priests “do not lead, but accompany the people of God”
Regarding the modes of relationship, the structures and the processes of discernment and decision-making, the proposals sent to Rome by the Archdiocese of Madrid involve “implementing Spiritual Conversation in all levels in which decisions must be made”, avoiding personalisms and “that seminarians live embedded in parish communities.” Furthermore, it is advocated that “the formation of priests insists that they do not lead but accompany the people of God, of which they are a part.”
In addition, greater creativity is proposed in parish communication both internally and externally, creating a digital platform that facilitates the approach of young people to the Church and “using the classic methodology of SEE – JUDGE – ACT so that faith does not go one way and life another.”
Audit “the deacons, priests and the bishop himself”
The fourth block of responses refers to the renewal or creation of ministries and bodies of participation in the Church.
Thus, it is called to renew the ministry of the Word, establish a Diocesan Ecclesial Assembly “in the style of the Latin American and Caribbean Ecclesial Assembly” and “carry out a regular audit of how the deacons, priests and the bishop himself exercise their ministry.”
Furthermore, it is proposed to establish an observatory to “promote the experience of the Spirituality of communion, reveal the existing short circuits of unity and ensure the end of clericalism.”
On the other hand, the creation of the ministry “for listening, ecclesial discernment and accompaniment” and the “prophetic ministry of communion” is proposed with the objective of promoting synodality and denouncing, through fraternal correction, “abuse or humiliation.” that may occur in the development of the mission.”
It also calls for the creation of a ministry “of art and music,” another for “care of the common home” and one for “nonviolence and peace.”
Nicholas de Cardenas
Born in 1980, I am a Spanish husband and father and journalist with more than 20 years of experience in print and digital media, specializing in sociopolitical and religious information. I have worked for more than 10 years in defense of human rights and have accreditations in Journalism and Comprehensive Communication. Since July 2022, I have been a correspondent for ACI Prensa and EWTN Noticias in Spain, covering international events of the Catholic Church.