What Bishops Are Saying

“There have been female deacons in earlier centuries, and that could also be again reintroduced.”

Cardinal Christoph Schönborn

Vienna, Austria
“The majority of bishops [at the Amazon Synod] were in favor of admitting women to the permanent diaconate…. My hope would be that they would find a pathway to make that a reality.”

Bishop Robert W. McElroy

San Diego, California
“Ordaining women to the diaconate would bring a certain consistency to the church’s practice.”

Bishop Randolph R. Calvo

Reno, Nevada
“Ordaining women as deacons who have the necessary personal, spiritual, intellectual and pastoral qualities would give their indispensable role in the life of the church a new degree of official recognition.”

Bishop Emil A. Wcela (retired auxiliary)

Rockville Centre, N.Y.
“If the pope, with this synod, opens the possibility of the diaconate for women, they know I will ordain them, if they are brought forward by the community.”

Bishop Adriano Ciocca Vasino

São Félix, Brazil
“The Synod on the Amazon must not only honor this pastoral work of women, but allow women to the diaconate.”

Bishop Erwin Kräutler, C.PP.S. (retired)

Xingu, Brazill
“There is a path that is open for the ordination of women.”

Bishop Evaristo Pascoal Spengler, O.F.M.

Marajó, Brazil
“There are well-developed arguments in theology in favor of opening up the sacramental ministry to women.”

Bishop Georg Bätzing (President, German bishops’ conference)

Limburg, Germany
“Would I like to see women deacons? I would.”

Archbishop Dermot Farrell

Dublin, Ireland
“I think Jesus would not mind having women deacons if there’s an actual pastoral need.”

Bishop Pedro Arigo

Palawan, Philippines
“Women should be ordained deacons. It is a sign of the times.”

Bishop Gebhard Fürst

Rottenburg-Stuttgart, Germany
If women could preach, “the culture of men and women will change and we will also discuss theological issues differently.”

Bishop Franz-Josef Bode

Osnabrück, Germany
“I would be very glad [to hear a] positive decision relatively soon [from the papal commission].”

Bishop Hermann Glettler

Innsbruck, Austria
“The ordination of women as deacons would be an important and correct step.”

Bishop Benno Elbs

Feldkirch, Austria
“To clearly show the world the equal dignity of women and men in the Church, [I propose that this Synod] recommends the establishment of a process that could eventually open to women access to this order.”

Archbishop Paul Andre Durocher

Gatineau, Quebec
“I welcome the news [of a papal commission].... Women deserve to be brought more fully into the decision-making of the church.”

Cardinal Blase J. Cupich

Chicago, Illinois
“We’re delighted that Phyllis Zagano, who is a very erudite woman and also a very clearly spoken woman on the issue, was named to [the papal commission]. As soon as I heard that, I said, ‘This is going to be credible.’... What [the pope] does with this is going to be interesting, but I think that was a hopeful sign.”

Cardinal Joseph W. Tobin, C.Ss.R.

Newark, New Jersey
“I personally welcome the news [of a papal commission]… We genuinely seek meaningful, creative, and faithful collaboration and participation of women in our ecclesial community.”

Bishop Gerardo Alminaza

San Carlos, Philippines
“There’s a conversation that needs to continue [about women deacons].... I do think their contribution does need further enhancement.”

Auxiliary Bishop Michael Router

Armagh, Ireland

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