(ZENIT News / Rome, 21.10.2024).- As a result of a misunderstanding that arose on October 18, the Prefect of the Dicastery for the Doctrine of the Faith issued a press release. The synodal group addressing the topic of women’s role in the Church criticized the fact that Cardinal Fernández was not in that group, to listen to what the participants were saying. In his communication, Cardinal Fernández explains why he was not there and also what he had said at the beginning of the Synod on behalf of the Pope, that the question of the feminine diaconate in the Church is not mature.
Following is the full translation of the Cardinal’s press release.
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Communication of Cardinal Victor Manuel Fernández in the Synod’s 13th General Congregation:
I want to clarify that Group 5 is coordinated by the Doctrinal Secretary of the Dicastery for the Doctrine of the Faith. Last Friday [October 18,ndt] he underwent a medical intervention and proposed in his place two very capable listeners to take up the proposals. Then I learnt that some persons expected my presence and I offered a meeting on Thursday at 04:30 pm.
We know that the Holy Father has expressed that the question of the feminine diaconate is not mature at this moment, and has asked that we not dwell on this possibility now. The Study Commission on the topic has reached partial conclusions, which we will publish in due course, but it will continue working.
Moreover, the Holy Father is very concerned about women’s role in the Church and, already before the Synod’s request, he asked the Dicastery for the Doctrine of the Faith to explore the possibilities of a development without focusing on Holy Orders. We cannot work in another direction, but I must say I am totally in agreement. Why?
Because to think of the diaconate for a few women doesn’t resolve the question of the millions of women there are in the Church. Moreover, we have not yet taken some steps we can take instead. I will give only some examples:
1)When the new ministry of the catechist was created, the Dicastery for Divine Worship sent a letter to the Episcopal Conferences. In it , it proposed two ways of configurating the ministry. One was related to the direction of the catechesis. The second, however, picked up what the Pope said in “Querida Amazonia” about catechists that support communities in the absence of priests, women that are at the front, direct communities and carry out different functions. The Episcopal Conference could accept this second way, but very few did so. This proposal was possible because the Pope had explained in his documents that the priestly power, linked to the Sacraments, is not expressed necessarily as power or authority, and that there are forms of authority that do not require Holy Orders. However, these texts have not been accepted.
2) [The role of] acolyte for women was granted in fact in a small percentage in dioceses, and many times it is priests who do not want to present women to the Bishop for this ministry.
3)In how many dioceses of the world has the diaconate for men been received? And where it has been received, how many times are they just «ordained altar boys»?
These few examples make us realize that to hasten to request the ordination of women deacons is not the most important response to promote women today.
To foster reflection, I have requested that testimonies be sent to my Dicastery of women that are really community leaders or who carry out important functions of authority. Not because they have been imposed in the community, or as a result of a study, but because they have acquired that authority under the impulse of the Spirit in response to a need of the people. The reality is superior to the idea. This is the line of work at this stage. I ask especially the women members of this Synod that they help to collect, make explicit and transmit to the Dicastery different proposals, which we can listen to in their context, about possible ways for women’s participation in the direction of the Church. We await proposals and reflections in this line.
Hence on Thursday I will listen to ideas on the role of women in the Church. For those who were very concerned about procedures and names, I will explain it on Thursday and give the proper names, so that faces can be associated to this work.
Despite what has been said, for those that are convinced that it is necessary to reflect further on the question of the feminine diaconate, the Holy Father confirmed to me that the Commission, presided over by Cardinal Giuseppe Petrocchi, will continue to be active. The members of the Synod who so desire can send — individually or in group –, to the said Commission considerations, proposals, articles or concerns about this question. Cardinal Petrocchi confirmed to me that the works will be resumed in the coming months and will analyze the materials that have arrived.
Friends, I am convinced that we can advance step by step, and reach very concrete things, so that we can understand that there is nothing in women’s nature that impedes them from having very important posts in the direction of the Churches. What truly comes from the Holy Spirit will not be stopped.
Translation of the Italian original into Spanish by ZENIT’s Editorial Director and, into English, by Virginia M. Forrester.
