This is the entire section you point us to with the snippet you quote. In the full context of this document and the document sited below there is nothing still left to debate where sacramental diaconate ordination is concerned. In this writing it clearly states there is no proof of females being ordained and serving as deacons; on the contrary there is evidence that their roles were not “purely and simply equivalent”. There is only one sacrament of Holy Orders. As JPII states, the only debate that is still open is outside of Scripture and Tradition and against the Teachings of the Magisterium. In my book that is three strikes.
Also of note, the document calls top attention the obvious difference in the roles of bishop & priests to that of deacons, this is simple theology of the diaconate you already know. The difference is Christ the High Priest and Christ the Servant. I am not and chances are I never will be a priest, that is not my calling.
“With regard to the ordination of women to the diaconate, it should be noted that two important indications emerge from what has been said up to this point:
- The deaconesses mentioned in the tradition of the ancient Church - as evidenced by the rite of institution and the functions they exercised - were not purely and simply equivalent to the deacons;
- The unity of the sacrament of Holy Orders, in the clear distinction between the ministries of the bishop and the priests on the one hand and the diaconal ministry on the other, is strongly underlined by ecclesial tradition, especially in the teaching of the Magisterium.
In the light of these elements which have been set out in the present historico-theological research document, it pertains to the ministry of discernment which the Lord established in his Church to pronounce authoritatively on this question.
Over and above all the questions raised by the diaconate, it is good to recall that ever since Vatican II the active presence of this ministry in the life of the Church has aroused, in memory of the example of Christ, a more vivid awareness of the value of service for Christian life.”
ORDINATIO SACERDOTALIS
“4. Although the teaching that priestly ordination is to be reserved to men alone has been preserved by the constant and universal Tradition of the Church and firmly taught by the Magisterium in its more recent documents, at the present time in some places it is nonetheless considered still open to debate, or the Church’s judgment that women are not to be admitted to ordination is considered to have a merely disciplinary force.
Wherefore, in order that all doubt may be removed regarding a matter of great importance, a matter which pertains to the Church’s divine constitution itself, in virtue of my ministry of confirming the brethren (cf. Lk 22:32) I declare that the Church has no authority whatsoever to confer priestly ordination on women and that this judgment is to be definitively held by all the Church’s faithful.”
It is not a matter of discipline and furthermore, there is only one Sacrament of Holy Orders so to say that it is still an open possibility to confer orders on a women is just plain wrong and will not happen.
Now, if we are truly talking of deaconesses of the past and women taking part by institution or commissioning to carry our ministries of the deacon outside of liturgical settings, then we can agree; but I am afraid you and Dcn. Bill are saying otherwise and this is not so.
Question Dcn., are you sacramentally ordained or not? How does this differ from the traditional role of the ancient deaconesses?
