Could Women Ever be Ordained Deaconesses?

Canon Law Made Easy ^ | February 6, 2014 | Cathy Caridi, J.C.L.

[Weiss White]

Q: A coworker was talking loudly at work about an article she’d read, endorsing the ordination of women as deacons, and she was all for it. It didn’t sound right to me, though, but I couldn’t put my finger on why not. Would it be possible for the Church to ordain female deacons? If not, what’s the argument against it? –Katie

[Weiss White]

All the posts on this blog are copyrighted, which is why I can only post an excerpt

[stars & stripes forever]

QUALIFICATIONS FOR DEACONS AND OVERSEERS

1 Timothy 3:1-12

1 Here is a trustworthy saying: Whoever aspires to be an overseer desires a noble task.
2 Now the overseer is to be above reproach, faithful to his wife, temperate, self-controlled, respectable, hospitable, able to teach,
3 not given to drunkenness, not violent but gentle, not quarrelsome, not a lover of money.
4 He must manage his own family well and see that his children obey him, and he must do so in a manner worthy of full[a] respect.
5 (If anyone does not know how to manage his own family, how can he take care of God’s church?)
6 He must not be a recent convert, or he may become conceited and fall under the same judgment as the devil.
7 He must also have a good reputation with outsiders, so that he will not fall into disgrace and into the devil’s trap.

8 In the same way, deacons are to be worthy of respect, sincere, not indulging in much wine, and not pursuing dishonest gain.
9 They must keep hold of the deep truths of the faith with a clear conscience.
10 They must first be tested; and then if there is nothing against them, let them serve as deacons.

11 In the same way, the women are to be worthy of respect, not malicious talkers but temperate and trustworthy in everything.

12 A deacon must be faithful to his wife and must manage his children and his household well.
13 Those who have served well gain an excellent standing and great assurance in their faith in Christ Jesus.

[aimhigh]

12 A deacon must be faithful to his wife

What paraphrase version is this? The text says "husband of one (or sole) wife".

[T-Bird45]

How could the Holy Spirit have inspired Paul to have written such a sexist passage? /sarc

[stars & stripes forever]

12 A deacon must be faithful to his wife

NIV - It was the default on BibleGateway.

[Alex Murphy]

All the posts on this blog are copyrighted, which is why I can only post an excerpt

You're the author. Don't you own / control your own copyright?

[mountn man]

Well, in todays world, where Suzy has 2 mommies and homosexuals are ordained, I guess the difficult part is figuring who’s the husband and who’s the wife.

[Craftmore]

A woman cannot be a deacon or a priest but in the catholic church can be a co-redeemer with Christ.

[Alex Murphy]

A woman cannot be a deacon or a priest but in the catholic church can be a co-redeemer with Christ.

ROTFL!

“To such extent did she [Mary] suffer and almost die with her suffering and dying Son; to such extent did she surrender her maternal rights over her Son for man’s salvation, and immolated Him — insofar as she could — in order to appease the justice of God, that we may rightly say she redeemed the human race together with Christ”
-- Pope Benedict XV, Inter Sodalicia (1918)

The Church Fathers' Marian Interpretation of the Old Testament
Are You Afraid of Mary “Co-redemptrix”?
Common Sense Mariology
The Annunciation: The Commencement of Mary’s Role as Co-redemptrix
Padre Pio and the Mother Co-redemptrix

[Petrosius]

Canon law here only reflects the theology of Holy Orders. The sacrament of Holy Orders is what our Lord instituted with the election of the Apostles. The division of Holy Orders into the three orders of bishop, priest and deacon was the latter work of the Apostles. Since it is Holy Orders itself, and not only the presbyterate, that Jesus reserved to men then the deaconate too is restricted only to men.

One correction must also be made to an assertion made by the author. She states:

With Paul VI’s theological restructuring of holy orders in the 1960’s, including the complete elimination of some of the minor orders, women can now become lectors and acolytes—because these roles are no longer reserved only for clerics.

This is untrue. The ministries of lector and acolyte are still reserved to men. While women may act as lectors and acolytes they may not be installed into these ministries. It is surprising that the author did not make this important distinction since she is a canon lawyer.