Vatican Releases Report Saying It Cannot Advance Sacramental Female Diaconate

Overview

• A Vatican communiqué states that, given current research, admitting women to the diaconate as a grade of Holy Orders cannot proceed, while stressing the conclusion is not irreversible.
• The commission’s core formulation was approved 7–1 in July 2022, with the final report completed in February 2025 under Cardinal Giuseppe Petrocchi, sent to the pope in September, and released publicly on December 4.
• Members voted 9–1 to urge wider access for women to instituted, non‑sacramental ministries as a form of ecclesial recognition and service.
• The report records a 5–5 split on a thesis asserting that the masculinity of Christ, and thus of those ordained, is integral to sacramental identity.
• The panel reviewed external submissions but noted they came from only 22 individuals or groups from a few countries, cautioning that the material does not represent the wider Church.