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[Catholic Caucus] Francis-instituted Vatican Commission says NO to Female Diaconate - English Translation of Full ReportAnnounced today -- report by Vatican News (followed by our translation of the full text of letter and report submitted to Pope Leo XIV):Petrocchi Commission says no to female diaconate, though judgment not definitiveA report presenting the results of the Commission’s work has been released. It rules out admitting women to the diaconate understood as a degree of the sacrament of Holy Orders, but says that it is not currently possible “to formulate a definitive judgment, as in the case of priestly ordination.” [Vatican News]***Summary...

[Catholic Caucus] Italian bishops call for ‘research’ into female diaconateThe least-supported proposal that still received approval at the Italian bishops' synod calls for 'research projects' to explore the question of the female diaconate.Cardinal Matteo Maria Zuppi leaves the Vatican after a College of Cardinals' meeting on April 30, 2025 in Rome, ItalyAs far as the Italian bishops are concerned, the issue of a female diaconate is still on the table.On October 25, the Italian Synod approved a final document of proposals in which the synod affirmed its support and called for research into the issues addressing the ordination of women...

[Catholic Caucus] Amazon cardinal ‘lays hands’ to confer ‘ministry’ on women going to ‘celebrate a sacrament’Brazil’s Cardinal Ulrich Steiner told a press conference that he ‘lays hands’ on women who will baptize people in the Amazon region, asserting that 'in our reality, women exercise the deacon's ministries.’Calling for a female diaconate, Cardinal Ulrich Steiner, from Brazil’s Amazon region, has revealed that he “lays hands” on women who he has commissioned to baptize since they are going to “celebrate a sacrament.”Addressing a press conference in Fatima, Portugal, over the weekend, Steiner renewed his prior calls for a female diaconate.“In our reality,...

[Catholic Caucus] Synod, October 9: Cardinal Fernández invites synod participants to weigh in on forthcoming document on women and ministryOn October 9, 343 of the 365 participants in the second and final session of the synod on synodality gathered in Paul VI Audience Hall for the third day of their four-day consideration of the session’s second module, “Relations” (synod agenda).“Relations” is the title of the first part of the session’s instrumentum laboris, or working document (pp. 11-22).Following the morning general congregation in Paul VI Audience Hall, participants gathered in St. Peter’s Basilica for a Maronite Divine Liturgy.“We must remember throughout...

[Catholic Caucus] Vatican confirms third study group is looking at issue of ‘female diaconate’Cardinal Mario Grech, a supporter of ‘ordaining’ women to the diaconate, said Pope Francis has tasked the Dicastery for the Doctrine of the Faith of looking into the theme of ‘female deacons.’VATICAN CITY (LifeSiteNews) — It was revealed today that a papally-appointed study group examining the issue of the “female diaconate” is comprised of members of the Congregation (now Dicastery) for the Doctrine of the Faith (CDF).Fielding questions after a Synod on Synodality press conference, Cardinal Mario Grech noted that Pope Francis has tasked the CDF to...

[Catholic Caucus] Female Synod advisor appointed by Pope Francis says ‘women deacons’ are a ‘possibility’Maria Lucchetti Bingemer is one of three new consultants for the Synod on Synodality appointed by Pope Francis who have endorsed so-called ‘women deacons.’VATICAN CITY (LifeSiteNews) — One of the female advisors appointed to the Synod by Pope Francis has said women deacons are “a possibility.”In an interview with the news outlet of the German bishops, katholisch.de, theology professor Maria Lucchetti Bingemer said that thanks to Pope Francis, “There is already more visibility of women in leadership positions, and this creates an ecclesiological fact: women are...

Pope to appoint women as lectors, catechists at Vatican for second timeThe event is possible due to Pope Francis' 2021 motu proprio, which has been described as ‘a tectonic shift both in theology and in praxis.’Pope Francis receives the cruets from two women during MassVATICAN CITY (LifeSiteNews) — Pope Francis will confer the ministries of lector and catechist to women for the second time, in a Mass to be held at the Vatican this Sunday. In a press release sent out by the Dicastery for Evangelization, the Holy See Press Office announced that the conferral of the two ministries would...

[Catholic Caucus] EWTN’s ‘papal posse’ criticizes Pope’s establishment of yet another female deacon commission Canon lawyer Father Gerald Murray said the new commission shouldn't have been formed since it calls into question the truth that 'women can't be made deacons' April 17, 2020 (LifeSiteNews) – On April 8, Pope Francis announced that he established yet another commission for the study of the female diaconate. The responses to this new initiative are coming in, with “progressive” Catholics along with traditionally-minded Catholics both being critical of it. For the progressivists, the members of the commission – some of whom are expressly against...

President of German Bishops’ Conference signals openness to female ‘deacons’ Bishop Georg Bätzing LIMBURG, Germany, March 9, 2020 (LifeSiteNews) – Bishop Georg Bätzing, the new president of the German Bishops’ Conference, has signaled that he is open to asking Pope Francis for an indult allowing female “deacons” in Germany. An indult is a special permission granted by the Vatican. In a radio interview on Sunday, Bätzing said he wanted to wait for the Synodal Path to be completed, arguing that a single bishop or even a bishops’ conference would not be able to get an indult from the Vatican. “A...