I cannot say if it could happen soon, but it is encouraging.
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Pope Francis on Tuesday appointed a commission to study the issue of female church deacons in a move seen as a potential first step toward women entering the Catholic clergy.
The 12-member commission of six men and six women includes priests, nuns and laywomen.
Pope Francis has been hailed by many as a progressive church leader so the local monsignor at St. Leo isn’t shocked he is the one coming forward with this study.
He gave the example of Pope St John Paul II, who as a priest in Poland would go on trips with the university students in his care, taking them to the mountains and playing sport.
There are about 18,000 deacons in the United States, according to the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops.
The members of the commission are priests and academics, most of whom live in Rome, though one professor, Phyllis Zagano, works at Hofstra University in NY.
Jane Fae, a transgender Catholic and expert on Vatican issues, said it is possible Francis is not referring to transgender people at all but on “gender roles”.
“The important thing is to make a decision because the discussion has been going on for 50 years”, Zagano said.
The Vatican has since released the transcript of this conversation to the public.
VATICAN CITY Pope Francis said on Wednesday he hoped the Olympics games in Rio de Janeiro will spur Brazilians to work for a country that is more just and safe.
In 2002, the International Theological Commission wrapped up a decade long study that included the question of women deacons. Others believe they were on a par with male deacons.
A USA -based organization dedicated to achieving the ordination of women as priests cautiously hailed Tuesday’s development.
“Our children deserve to know that of course they have the right to choose, and GMHC applauds all schools that teach students not to oppress who they are, but instead live the life as the gender they most identify with”, GMHC CEO Kelsey Louie said in a statement.
As women were equal partners in the society, they should be equal partners in Church also, Zed stated.
“From my understanding of a deacon, it’s someone who cares for the needs of others”, said. “What better candidate than a female with paternal instincts”.
“It appears to me that this is an opportunity for the church to discuss whether women can be restored to the ordained diaconate”, she said.
“Today we have so few priests it’s nearly impossible to get a priest in an emergency to do an anointing”, Reese said.
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The announcement comes nearly three months after the pope expressed an interest in the issue during a gathering of about 900 leaders of women’s religious orders within the church.
