Women Deacons?

Maryknoll Affiliates connected over four Zoom meetings around the book, Women Deacons Past, Present, Future, by Phyllis Zagano, Paulist Press (https://www.paulistpress.com/Products/4743-4/women-deacons.aspx).

Reflecting on the experience, one Affiliate offered:

This group was thoughtful and wise, involved in many good things, and mutually supportive. This was a lively conversation, with folks from Wisconsin, New York, California, Oregon and Washington on the calls. These wide-ranging conversations were helpful to have at a time when wisdom in our country and our church is so needed.

We talked about the gifts of women in the church, and how much work there is to be done. We drew parallels between the challenges of racism in our country and sexism in our church.

While discouraged by the lack of structures in our church where women may be heard, we took heart in the history of women deacons, and in the evident leadership of women in all parts of society. As always, the Maryknoll way of accompaniment and respect gives us hope in the many good people continuing to build the Kingdom of God.

Another Affiliate commented:

The pain and hurt of active, faithful women in the Church expressed around the place of women reminds me of the hurt and pain I have heard expressed by African-Americans and others who are marginalized in our society. 

Western and Eastern Church women served the People of God as deacons from the early Church through the 11th century. Also, Western and Eastern Churches, not in union with Rome but with valid sacraments recognized by Rome, have a nearly unbroken history of women deacons to today. In recent times, some Roman Catholic bishops and Cardinals have spoken to the wisdom of women serving the People of God as ordained deacons.

The book’s extensive scholarly analysis of the history and possibilities for ordaining women as deacons provides insight into the legalism of the Church in its institutional practices, not far from what Jesus encountered with the institutions of his lifetime. But it only briefly mentions that at least in developed countries women are respected as intellectual and spiritual equals to men and they are the role models for the girls who come behind, which to this lay Catholic male are overriding reasons for ordaining women as deacons.

Another book group is forming for the fall. Send Bob Short (Affiliatebshort@gmail.com) your suggestions for a book to discuss.