UNITED STATES
National Catholic Reporter
Jim Purcell | Aug. 20, 2016
VIEWPOINT What we need in today’s Roman Catholic church is a redistribution of power and authority. Pope Francis’ openness to the possibility of having women deacons is not nearly enough to achieve this essential organizational revolution.
Yes, opening the diaconate to women would be a good and much-needed change. But as some commentators have pointed out, it still leaves women in a “secondary” position to priests.
Some of those same commentators argue that women need to be ordained priests to level the playing field. While I support the ordination of women as priests, I would argue for a different and more important change first.
Francis should change canon law so one does not have to be a priest to be the “pastor” of a parish. Give qualified lay men and women and male and female deacons real power and authority to lead some of our faith communities.
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