Women clergy

[SonCatcher]

“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” (Ordinatio Sacerdotalis 4). Pope John Paul II. "

Bold and underlined is mine.

While the Church has no authority to confer priestly ordination on women, the question has to whether or not the Church can confer diaconal ordination on women had remained unanswered.

Ordination to the diaconate is a subset of priestly ordination. Recall that there is only one sacrament of Holy Orders and that may be received a maximum of three times. Each higher degree of ordination is more perfect than the last. It makes no logical sense to say that someone may receive a lesser degree of Holy Orders but is invalid material for more perfected reception of the same sacrament.

The deaconesses referenced in the Early Church were, according to the ECFs, not ordained. They most likely assisted with the logistics of conferring the sacraments on women in ways men could not at the time.

 

[catholic7guitar]

The Church will not ordain any women because they do not have the authority to.

Whenever you feel like a teaching should be changed, remember this:
The Church does not change for you, but you change for the Church.

 

[Angel_Bradford]

Ordination to the diaconate is a subset of priestly ordination. Recall that there is only one sacrament of Holy Orders and that may be received a maximum of three times. Each higher degree of ordination is more perfect than the last. It makes no logical sense to say that someone may receive a lesser degree of Holy Orders but is invalid material for more perfected reception of the same sacrament.

The deaconesses referenced in the Early Church were, according to the ECFs, not ordained. They most likely assisted with the logistics of conferring the sacraments on women in ways men could not at the time.

No…The diaconate is seen as a separate vocation from the priesthood.

 

[Iron_Donkey]

No…The diaconate is seen as a separate vocation from the priesthood.

Sort of, but not exactly. See: patheos.com/blogs/deaconsbench/2012/07/muller-and-deacons-only-a-man-can-represent-this-relation-of-christ-with-the-church/

 

[Thomas_Casey]

This subject belongs in apologetics.