A high-level Vatican commission has decisively voted against the possibility of ordaining women as deacons within the Catholic Church, reinforcing the institution's long-standing tradition of an all-male clergy. The findings, presented in a report to Pope Leo and made public on Thursday, 4th December 2025, conclude a period of secretive deliberation on one of the most contentious issues facing the 1.4 billion-member Church.
The Commission's Decisive Vote and Findings
The panel, led by a cardinal and a priest from the Vatican's top doctrinal office, voted 7-1 in July 2022 against the prospect of female deacons. In their report, the commission stated that historical and theological research "excludes the possibility" of women serving in the role at the present time. However, the body notably stopped short of issuing a definitive, permanent judgment, recommending instead that the issue warrants deeper examination.
The commission, which included both male and female church scholars, acknowledged in the report that their assessment was strong but "does not as of today allow a definitive judgment to be formulated." The results were delivered to Pope Leo in a letter from Italian Cardinal Giuseppe Petrocchi, dated 18th September but released this week.
A Decade of Debate and Disappointment
The question of women deacons has simmered within the Church for over a decade. The late Pope Francis initiated the formal study after a 2016 request from the International Union of Superiors General, the umbrella group for the world's Catholic sisters and nuns. Francis established two separate commissions to examine the matter, both of which operated in secrecy until now.
Reaction to the report has been mixed. Phyllis Zagano, a scholar at Hofstra University in New York who served on Pope Francis's first commission and advocated for women deacons, criticised the new document. She argued the text "does its best to present the topic in a negative light, selectively choosing comments from previous reports without providing complete context." Advocates for change often point to historical evidence, including mentions of female deacons like Phoebe in the letters of St. Paul, to support their case.
The Role of Deacons and Future Ministry
Deacons in the Catholic Church are ordained ministers who can perform baptisms, witness marriages, and preside over funerals. In many areas, they also lead parishes when a priest is unavailable, though they cannot celebrate Mass. The role was re-established as a permanent position for married men following reforms in the 1960s.
Despite the negative vote on women deacons, the commission did signal a cautious opening for broader female participation. In a February meeting, members voted 9-1 that the Church should "broaden women's access" to ministry opportunities, though no specifics were provided. The report stated, "It now falls to the discernment of pastors to evaluate which further ministries may be introduced for the concrete needs of the Church of our time."
The decision now rests with Pope Leo, elected in May 2025, who has not publicly commented on the issue. The report upholds the Church's current discipline, while leaving a door slightly ajar for continued discussion about the role of women in its future.
