The proposal of the Spanish Church that women assume more positions of responsibility at the pastoral and ministerial level included in the working document Towards October 2024 of the last Synodal Assembly of the Spanish Episcopal Conference (CEE) is seen as “a step forward ”, but “insufficient” on the part of women’s groups linked to the Church. They positively value the opening of the door to the female diaconate but recognize that there is still a long way to go to achieve full equality.
The document, which includes the contributions made by the Spanish dioceses and twenty ecclesial institutions, recognizes the low visibility of women despite their “overwhelming majority in the life of the Church” and considers their active presence in all “priority.” areas, whether in participation, formation and decision-making bodies, as well as assuming tasks of pastoral and ministerial responsibility.
Although the EEC does not specify in that document what these positions would be, the worksheet proposes to “reflect on the possible access of women to the diaconate.” One figure, that of the permanent male diaconate, formed by lay people, is widely extended. Men deacons, after their ordination, today can bless, marry, baptize or give communion. What they cannot do is preside over the mass, nor consecrate nor confess, functions that priests do exercise.
“Any step forward that the Church makes in this sense, such as the female diaconate, is positive, but we cannot stand still; “This does not end here, the touchstone is the ordained ministry, which is the issue that remains to be resolved,” explains Neus Forcano, a member of Alcem la Veu, a coordinator of believing women from different Catalan dioceses who advocate having the same opportunities of access to all functions and ministries. “Charisms do not distinguish between sexes,” says Forcano.
Regarding the possibility of women being able to celebrate Mass, Forcano assumes that it will not be resolved in the next Synod of Bishops, convened by Pope Francis, and whose final phase will take place in Rome in October 2024. Forcano regrets that the Catholic Church does not has yet accepted that scenario. “That it has not been resolved is painful, here there is still a long way to go,” he explains and believes that the major changes – equality between men and women in the Catholic Church – will come “rather from the base” than from the hierarchy. ecclesial.
The theologian Adelaide Baracco has also received the proposal from the Spanish Church to give greater prominence to women as “a small step forward”, although she regrets the “ambiguity” of the speech. “What the Vatican will probably do is grant the diaconate to women, but without ordination, it will be a lowered form of the male diaconate,” explains the progressive theologian, co-author with fellow theologian María José Arana, of the book Women Priests. when? , in which they address the need to open the door to the female priesthood.
Baracco explains that there were already ordained deaconesses in the early church, something that was lost in the 4th century and highlights the recent ordination of a deaconess in the Republic of Zimbabwe by the Orthodox Patriarchate of Alexandria. “Even the Orthodox Church, which was even more reluctant, has passed us by,” says Baracco.
Discalced Carmelite Anna Seguí is very critical, seeing this gesture of the Spanish Church as “totally insufficient.” “I appeal to the woman’s full rights and as long as she is not like that, the rest of her are concessions to keep her happy, satisfied and make her silence,” she emphasizes. She understands that without priestly consecration, women continue to be “excluded” and indicates that “exclusion is a violation of the kingdom of God.” “They have stolen that right from us,” he adds.
Silvia Martínez Cano, member of the Association of Spanish Theologians, also recognizes the “good intentions” of the Church in relaunching the reflection on the female diaconate, although it remains to be defined what type of diaconate will end up being applied if that possibility is finally granted. . She considers that the female diaconate of the first centuries, which was aimed at serving only women, is not adapted to current times. The other two possibilities involve a permanent diaconate, where women and men serve equally, or for women to access the ministry of order.
He considers that the Church should open the possibility for women to celebrate mass. “If we talk about correspondence and equal dignity, she assumes that we value ourselves for our talents and not for our sex,” she says. Martínez indicates that “the signs of the times call for continuing to advance and more quickly” than has been done so far.