Nothing new on the topic of women's ordination from the Vatican

From the German by Martin Schockenhoff

At the first session of the World Synod in October 2023, the topic of women's ordination was discussed intensively. In particular, it was decided to examine the possibility of admitting women to the diaconate and to put it on the agenda for the second session. Some, including the Chairman of the German Bishops' Conference, Bishop Bätzing, considered the diaconate for women to be achievable in the foreseeable future.

In March 2024, Pope Francis surprisingly removed the topic from the agenda of the World Synod. He explained that this topic still required further theological clarification and set up a working group outside the World Synod for this, as well as for other issues such as priestly forms of life.

This caused disappointment and indignation among many. It became apparent that, contrary to the Pope's wishes, the topic of women's ordination would be discussed at the World Synod after all. On the first day of the second session, Cardinal Manuel Fernández, Chairman of the Dicastery for the Doctrine of the Faith, told the astonished delegates that his dicastery was preparing a document on the ordination of women. This would contain statements on the charisms of women, including the possibility of their assistance in sacramental acts. However, the document will not contain a positive decision on the admission of women to the diaconate.

This announcement right at the beginning of the second session was clearly intended to make it clear to the delegates that they had better not even deal with the topic of women's ordination, because any announcements from the World Synod would in any case be outdated by the document announced by his dicastery. In the further course of the second session, the delegates were presented with the interim results of the external commissions appointed by the Pope, including the interim result of Working Group 5 concerning the possibility of ordaining women. The original Italian version of the interim report, which consists of just under two pages, is also available in English translation. The content of this interim report confirms the fears of all those who had hoped for progress. Right at the beginning, the topic is limited to the ‘participation in decision-making processes and the leadership of communities’ of women. By ‘decision-making’, the Pope and the Vatican mean the stage of mutual listening, consideration and discussion that precedes the actual decision. The participation of women in the decisions themselves is not up for discussion from the outset.

The admission of women to the diaconate was obviously not dealt with independently in Working Group 5. Rather, the interim report unequivocally refers to the statements of the competent Dicastery for the Doctrine of the Faith:

‘Regarding the latter topic [the question of the admission of women to the diaconate] we would like to share from the outset ... that the Dicastery judges that there is still no room for a positive decision by the Magisterium regarding the access of women to the diaconate.’

In the following, it is explained that some important women in early church history and also today would have possessed significant authority and exercised influence even without ordination to the diaconate. Hildegard of Bingen, Catherine of Siena, Teresa of Ávila, Maria Montessori, Dorothy Day and Madeleine Delbrêl are cited as examples.

The interim report ends with the words:

‘In the light of these beautiful testimonies, the question of women's access to the diaconate takes on a different perspective. Meanwhile, the in-depth study of their multifacited Christian witness can help today imagine new forms of minis-try that can create still broader opportunities for a more incisive female presence in the Church (Evangelii Gaudium, 103).’

To summarise,

it should be noted that Working Group 5, whose members were not made known to the delegates of the World Synod, has not yet undertaken an independent examination of the question of the ordination of women.

It has limited itself to reproducing the statements of the Dicastery for the Doctrine of the Faith and the work programme announced by it.

This working group, if it exists at all, will not undertake an independent examination.

On the basis of the interim report, it can be assumed that its final report will be limited to confirming the content of the paper on the ordination of women announced by Cardinal Fernández.

In other words: Working Group 5 is a Vatican echo chamber.

Group 5
Some Theological and Canonical Matters
Regarding Specific Ministerial Forms (SR 8 and 9)

As Pope Francis said the Angelus to a packed St. Peter’s Square on Sunday 13 October 2024, We Are Church International (WAC) raised a banner to EQUALITY in support of Pope Francis.

Within 5 minutes the WAC group was surrounded by police who ordered the banner to be taken down and detained 7 of the WAC group for up to 4 hours.

Expressing support for Pope Francis with a banner for EQUALITY as followers of Jesus should be readily acceptable.

This is a key topic at the Synod being held in the Vatican City state, which Pope Francis initiated in 2021.

We totally accept the need to protect Pope Francis from attack and the long queues and security checks are essential and warranted.

But the Vatican security system should not be used to promote only conservative voices, when many reform voices also support Pope Francis.

Unity in diversity must apply in the Vatican City state as well as in the global church.

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Press contacts:

Colm Holmes, Chair We are Church International
Email: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. Phone: +353 86606 3636

Dr Martha Heizer, Vice-Chair We are Church International
Email: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. Phone: +43 650 4168500

• We Are Church on the current World Synod in Rome
• Dispute over anthropology, theology and the image of women
• Conference of We Are Church International 11-14 October 2024 in Rome

We Are Church on the current World Synod in Rome

We Are Church sees the second plenary assembly of the World Synod, which is currently meeting, as a logical step towards finally bringing the participatory understanding of the church of the Second Vatican Council (1962-1965) to life at all levels. The tense discussions and polarisation inside and outside the Synod hall show how urgently this transformation process is needed. The Roman Catholic Church leadership cannot afford to ignore the ‘signs of the times’ again, as it did before the Second Vatican Council.

The decisive question for the future is whether the expanded Synod of Bishops of Pope Francis can succeed in resolving the backlog of reforms and fundamental contradictions with regard to the core of biblical tradition – the exclusively male clergy, excluding women from all consecrations and central decisions. If the return to the dignity of baptism is a decisive characteristic of church membership, then this must lead to a new theology and a reorientation of all church structures, which are to be designed as services and not as offices and privileges.

If the Roman Catholic Church, the largest Christian church and the world church, were to succeed in exemplifying a gender concept that corresponds to the early Christian message, it could be a credible and radiant role model. This would be a truly prophetic testimony.

Debate on anthropology, theology and the image of women

Pope Francis' statements at the Catholic University in Belgium regarding the image of women and the rigid adherence to a dualistic anthropology are out of touch with the times. Just one day after Cardinal Kevin Joseph Farrell, Prefect of the Dicastery for the Laity, Family and Life, admitted the Church's manifold failings towards women, Cardinal Victor Fernandez, Prefect of the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith, announced a new doctrinal document on the role of women in the Church and rejected expectations of the women's diaconate. The time is not ripe yet. This is a new affront to all women and contradicts the desired synodality.

We Are Church is pleased that the statements of the Pope and the announcement of the Prefect of the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith are no longer accepted without contradiction. According to many reformers within the Church, the question of the women's consecration is no longer about whether, but when and how. Therefore, the members of the World Synod and all those in the Vatican now have a great responsibility to undo the many old knots that contradict the Christian message. We Are Church also expects each individual bishop to now commit themselves wholeheartedly to the principle of synodality and to act in a truly synodal way at all levels.

The reforms that have been delayed since the Second Vatican Council must finally be implemented if talk of God is not to become hollow. Questions about God, structural issues and serving people must not be played off against each other! Only if the church has the courage to reform its own structures will it also have the moral strength and authority to comment on current problems and fulfil its many tasks in society.

Conference of We Are Church International 11-14 October 2024 in Rome

As in the previous year, the worldwide association We Are Church International will hold its annual meeting under the motto ‘EQUALITY’ during the synod in Rome in order to seek contact with the participants of the world synod and to promote reforms. In addition, a new coordination team will be elected. The meeting will take place at Casa Maria Immaculata from 11 to 14 October 2024.

Activities of all reform forces during the synod in Rome.

Press contacts:

Colm Holmes, Chair We are Church International
Email: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. Phone: +353 86606 3636

Dr Martha Heizer, Vice-Chair We are Church International
Email: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. Phone: +43 650 4168500

We Are Church International held a Press Conference today with 6 speakers from 6 continents calling for reforms at the October 2024 Synod.

• We Are Church International calls on the Synod participants to formulate strong proposals for
  the full equality of women
• to allow local churches the freedom to reform

Synodality will only be credible if it leads to real reforms in 2025.

Here are key quotations from our 6 participants:

AFRICA: Prof. Philomena Mwaura: “What I consider important for the Church in Africa is the theological formation of the laity and leaders of Small Christian Communities not just on Synodality but in all aspects of their faith.”

AUSTRALIA: Kevin Liston: “On one view, the Synod marks a significant move forward in church thinking and planning for the future. On an alternative view, the Synod misses numerous opportunities for updating it’s position, agenda and practices on many matters of concern to Catholics around the world. The question now is: ‘Will the Synod generate the impetus and energy required to restore integrity and credibility to the church and reinstate the vision and values of Jesus as an inspiring lifestyle in the modern world?’”

NORTH AMERICA: Kate McElwee: “While many have attempted to silence the conversation on women’s ordination, dismiss our work as ‘lobbying,’ or relegate the global discernment into the shadows of the Dicastery for the Doctrine of the Faith, we are determined to be visible, creative, and bold. There is just too much at stake.”

SOUTH AMERICA: Dr. Lula Ramires: "Hope has two beautiful daughters; their names are Anger and Courage. Anger at the way things are, and Courage to see that they do not remain as they are.” ― Augustine of Hippo

ASIA: Virginia Saldanha: “Since the topic of women's inclusion has been removed from the table and given to a Commission for the 3rd time I think - Women have little or no hope.
The Jesus model of Church includes everyone, is neighbourhood & community based, with leaders chosen by the people, patterned on the Early Christian Community. This was the model of Church proposed by the Asian Bishops in 1991.”

EUROPE: Martin Schockenhoff: “The most pressing concerns from the perspective of the European faithful are the admission of women to ministries and equality of laypeople in decision taking. If this does not happen soon, the Church in Europe will lose credibility and members.”

Colm Holmes, Chair We are Church International
Email: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. Phone: +353 86606 3636

Dr Martha Heizer, Vice-Chair We are Church International
Email: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. Phone: +43 650 4168500

Find out more about the Charta Oemenica

We Are Church International has submitted two proposals with suggested amendments for the revised Charta Oecumenica.

The first makes 52 suggested amendments and was compiled by Mauro Castagnaro (Italy), Thomas Olechowski (Austria) and John Colreavy (Ireland).

The second contains amendments compiled by Elza Ferrario and Roberto Fiorini of Noi Siamo Chiesa (Italy) and includes a document which comments on the proposed amendments.

It was agreed at the WAC Coordinating Committee meeting on 18 September 2024 to submit both proposals to the CEC & CCEE.