Women Religious Women Deacons

Only in 2016 did most religious begin to think about women in the diaconate. In that year, at their triennial meeting in Rome, the members of the International Union of Superiors General (UISG) asked Pope Francis to establish a commission to study the question. The sisters noted that many of their number were already doing diaconal work. Why could they not be ordained?

These five essays investigating questions relative to women religious becoming ordained deacons first appeared in Global Sisters Report. Each essay presents themes garnered during years of research and consultation with women religious around the world, and addresses questions such as: Why should women religious consider the diaconate? What are the canonical implications of ordination? Would ordination assist the ministry of women?