This morning the International Union of Superiors General had an audience with Pope Francis, and by all accounts (or at least the account I read on Twitter), they were really giving it to him, pushing for more leadership opportunities, asking preaching by women, and asking why there are no female deacons seeing as Scripture mentions female deacons in the early Church.
Of course, the UISG did not invent that last question. Many of us have been asking it for years, with the unspoken answer being “it would freak people out to see a woman in vestments”.
But Francis did speak a response, saying something we rarely heard from recent popes: Let’s talk about it.
In what appeared to be an off-the-cuff remark, he announced that they would set up a Vatican commission to study femalee deacons in the early Church, and possibilities for women in the diaconate today.
Off-the-cuff can also be interpreted as moved by the Spirit, and I don’t think anyone is surprised that Francis is always moving in the direction of dialogue. Some previous papacies declared certain topics off limits to conversation, but he doesn’t shy away from those topics, sometimes flummoxing his advisors and fellow Catholics.
The internet is going to explode today with think pieces about female deacons, and I will struggle to get anything else done as this consumes my day. But I will try to remember that precious moment when the news came up on my phone. I was walking in the morning sun, out earlier than usual, cherishing the morning and the new life that spring has brought. When I saw that the question was being opened I was shaken in the best possible way, reminded of a million things I had forgotten that I wanted because it was easier to forget. I knew the backlash would come quickly, but I cried tears of joy anyway, marveling in the morning, grateful for new life.
One last thing – can we all please agree not to use the term “deaconess” at all? Ugh.
How did you react to the news from the Vatican this morning?
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On Twitter I saw Fr. James Martin tweeting about female deacons, but no link to a news story. I wasn’t sure if he was talking about it on his own or if, as I suspected, there was more to it. A bit later there were some tweets about the papal commission. I don’t suppose the Catholic internet will be talking about much else today! Unless Lady Gaga speaks. Hey! maybe LG could be the Ist deaconess! (Sorry, couldn’t resist!).
It’s tough when news breaks at Roman noon – we are all still so groggy it’s hard to know which end is up!
I was just discussing this very topic with a new friend last night. Most interesting news. This is always my thing, can we talk about things in the Spirit of God? Usually talking is deemed as infidelity to teaching, what a sad interpretation of the Spirit.
I’m glad that things will move, albeit slowly, to conversation. Without conversation, there can be no conversion.
OTOH, I will note that Tim O’Malley said something worthwhile on Facebook, that struck me deeply because of my obsession with the “both/and” in our “either/or” world. Go check it out Margaret and others. He does have a point. But then so does talking about it, and maybe -gasp- seeing something change.
Unfortunately, I forsee the study group pointing to biblical writings of the misogynistic Timothy’s feelings about women’s roles. But we can and must pray for continued expansion of women’s roles in church services.
You’re the first post I saw about this. It makes me hopeful. I left the Catholic church years ago, and am not likely to go back, but am not like many evangelical Protestants who think Catholics aren’t Christians. I’ve struggled with the patriarchy of it all, I think other denominations have gone too far to try to overcompensate. I think some denominations haven’t gone far enough. I think some denominations have put patriarchy on a pedestal and put a glorified ultra-submissive female ideal on a higher one (to keep women out of the way). I’m hoping for honest dialogue looking at Ann issue that has been too much ignored for too long. I’m not sure of it’s too much to hope for, but the thought occurs to me that if this changes in the Catholic church, the ultraconservative hyperfundamentalist (dare I say misogynistic?) sects of Protestantism will find themselves feeling VERY exposed and alone in holding the line on this. It will no longer be a defensible position.
I love your point about how off-the-cuff speaking can also be a sign of being moved by the Spirit. I’m so happy to hear this news and so interested to see where it leads.