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Document on Women Deaconesses Nears a Final Vote

VATICAN CITY, SEPT. 27, 2002 (Zenit.org).- The International Theological Commission is now analyzing the final draft of a document that addresses the issue of the ordination of women deaconesses.

A Vatican Press Office statement said the document will be voted on next week, when the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith holds its annual plenary assembly. The congregation coordinates the work of the theological commission.

The Vatican congregation commissioned the document. ZENIT learned that the subcommittee which wrote the document was presided over by Henrique de Noronha Galv�o, a member of the theological commission.

The commission requested numerous modifications to the working document. The final text will help shed light on the diaconate-related documentation that has existed since the early years of Christianity, the commission's secretary-general, Dominican Father Georges Cottier, told ZENIT recently.

At the same assembly, the final draft of a text on revelation and inculturation will be voted on.

The theological commission helps the Holy See and, in particular, the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith, on important doctrinal questions. The panel comprises 30 theologians at most.
ZE02092704

I wonder what the verdict from Rome will be?

What are y'all's opinions?

I support the sacramental ordination of women deacons and their implementation into our church.

In Christ,

anastasios

Amen! Axios!

BTW, did Zenit actually use the gramatically nonsensical term "women deaconesses"?

...LOL as opposed to "male deaconesses"

Be prepared for the future:
women priests.

Is this a one-lung or two-lung document?

Joe Thur

This bit of news is next to useless. All it says is, "The International Theological Commission is now analyzing the final draft of a document that addresses the issue of the ordination of women deaconesses." and that the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith will vote on it.

No where does it say what side of the issue that the document falls on.

And if I am not mistaken, even after the vote, if it is in the positive, it will still need the Holy Father's vote of approval.

But once again, it doesn't say anything about what the document says.

David

Dear Friends,

I guess they'll go for anything, except, of course, married priests.

Alex

It isn't the business of any Roman dicastery to pass judgement on the Tradition of any other particular Church. Therefore, whatever the Congregation decides will be relevant only to the Latin Church, and to no other.

You still don't get it, do you? The Eastern Churches had deaconesses for 1400 years. They were integral to our Tradition. They were really, REALLY ordained ("The Divine Grace", and all that stuff), and the office was never abolished. There are limited numbers of ordained deaconesses serving in the Orthodox Churches, and the expansion of that ministry would be entirely cnsistent with both the Tradition of the Eastern Churches and the oikonomia of its bishops.

It is time to judging issues particular to the Eastern Churches according to the categories of the Latin Church. What we do is our business, and what you do is your business. The Latin Tradition belongs to the Latin Church, and the Eastern Tradition belongs to the Eastern Church, and neither should impose itself on the other.

Stuart,
You point out another fault, among many, with this article.

Can you show me where it states that this document they are working on is directed towards the Eastern Catholic Churches?

I would bet that this document is dealing with the issue of deaconesses within the Roman Church.

As for you opinion that anything that comes from a "Roman dicastery" is only binding on the Latin Church.... It would be nice, but I think its time you wake up and smell the coffee.

You can pretend all you want, but I chose to live in the real world.

As for the issue of deaconesses, I think we must first restore the permanent diaconate and the married priesthood. We need to focus on this, not spread out our attention on other things.

I also feel that a restoration of deaconesses in the States will do nothing but add to the fuel for the priestess issue. Many of them would flock to our churches and bring their adgenda with them.

I have seen disucssed that the deaconess played a role simular to the role nuns fill today, and when they did so was before there were many nuns in the Eastern Churches. I think this needs to be explored a bit more. If because there are more nuns living within the church today, do we need to restore a role that is alread filled?

Just becuase something was done in the past does not mean that it is of value today.

David

Dear David and Remie,

Just a note of warning to be careful with Stuart today as he is feeling a bit under the weather.

Consider yourselves forewarned . . .

Alex

Alex,

May I ask why you always have to comment on what you perceive to be other people's disposition?

In regards to this thread, can you offer any commentary to the WORDS that Stuart wrote in answer to Remie's post and not his person? Can you explain why Stuart's WORDS seem "under the weather" but not Remie's?

You're too much, big guy!

Dear Cantor Joe,

Perhaps it's because Stuart SAID he was under the weather on another thread?

That could have something to do with it . . .

I just like to have a little fun with people, you know.

Sense of humour and all that?

You do know what that is, right, Big Guy?

I mean, they didn't tell you in seminary that it was a sin?

And it's O.K. for you. Stuart never has any harsh things to say to you.

Oh no, you theologian types stick together!

It's Remie and myself and others that have to worry about reactions from people like you two . . .

But I'll try and behave better in future.

Alex