By Charles Igwe
Pope Francis has once again reiterated his firm stance against the ordination of women as deacons, maintaining his consistent position on this contentious issue within the Catholic Church. The Pope made these remarks during an interview with CBS News anchor Norah O’Donnell on the network’s flagship program, “60 Minutes.”
In the interview, O’Donnell raised a question about the future roles of women in the Church. “You will have many young boys and girls that will come here at the end of next month for World Children’s Day,” O’Donnell said. “And I’m curious, for a little girl growing up Catholic today, will she ever have the opportunity to be a deacon and participate as a clergy member in the Church?”
Pope Francis responded unequivocally, “No.”
When pressed further on whether he was open to the idea of a female diaconate, the Pope clarified, “If it is deacons with holy orders, no.”
He elaborated on the historical role of women in the Church, emphasizing their significant contributions without holding official clerical positions. “Women have always had, I would say, the function of deaconesses without being deacons, right?” he said. “Women are of great service as women, not as ministers, as ministers in this regard, within the holy orders.”
Pope Francis highlighted the essential roles women play in the Church, describing them as catalysts for change and guardians of life. “Women are the ones who move changes forward, all sorts of changes,” he said. “They are braver than the men. They know how best to protect life. Women are masterful custodians of life. Women are great. They are very great.”
The Pope emphasized that making space for women in the Church does not necessarily mean ordaining them. “The Church is a mother, and women in the Church are the ones who help foster that motherliness,” he stated. He also pointed out the unwavering loyalty of women to Jesus, saying, “Don’t forget that the ones who never abandoned Jesus were the women. The men all fled.”
This recent reaffirmation by Pope Francis follows his statements last year, where he declared the impossibility of women becoming priests or modern Church deacons, asserting that “holy orders is reserved for men.”
