Can one assume that Fr Timothy Radcliffe’s hopes that soon women will be ordained to the Permanent Diaconate are not just speculative but grounded in firm and positive indications that this is likely? Certainly a ground-breaking report from the Canon Law Society of America published as long ago as 1995 concluded that: "the evidence (from the past) points to an ordination (of women) parallel to that conferred on men to be deacons;” that “The supreme authority of the Church is competent to decide to ordain women to the permanent diaconate;” and that “Women ordained to the permanent Diaconate would be able to exercise ministries and hold offices from which they are now excluded." (cf. 'The Canonical Implications of ordaining Women to the Permanent Diaconate’ conclusions p.50).
So what are we waiting for?
If ever a time was right for this to be done it is now so that whether something more radical than that of giving a voice and authority to women is found, the role of women through ordination will be built into the very structure of the Church’s hierarchy.
Fr Paul Chamberlain (formerly Birmingham Director for Permanent Diaconate 2003-12)
Derrydruel Upper, Co. Donegal
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