Women’s sacramentality is not up for debate

On May 10, Pope Francis handed a copy of the report from the study commission on women deacons to the 850 religious of the UISG with the comment: “I cannot make a sacramental decree [on women deacons] without a theological, historical foundation.”

The “theological, historical foundation” exists in abundance, thanks to the work of scholars like Dr. Phyllis Zagano, Dr. Gary Macy, Dr. Dorothy Irvin, Dr. Hans Wijngaards, Sr. Christine Schenk, and others. Holding women deacons to an impossible standard of historical consistency that is not used for other elements of our tradition is out of line with the essentially Catholic belief in development of doctrine.

Women have been protagonists in the history of our faith since the time of the Gospels. We do not need to prove our sacramentality. The ability of our bodies to manifest revelation is not up for debate.

And while we welcome study that leads to conversation and openness to where the Spirit is calling the Church, we will not wait for further evidence for what we already know: Women are called by God and their communities to be deacons and priests.

(See our full e-mail to our members here.)

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Founded in 1975, the Women’s Ordination Conference (WOC) is the oldest and largest organization that works to ordain women as deacons, priests, and bishops into an inclusive and accountable Catholic Church. 

www.womensordination.org

Contacts: Kate McElwee, Executive Director
kmcelwee@womensordination.org +1.607.725.1364, +39 393 692 2100 (Rome, Italy)

Katie Lacz, Program Associate
klacz@womensordination.org 720-259-9976 (Colorado, U.S.)