Vatican Commission Calls for More Study on Women Deacons

A major Vatican commission has concluded it cannot support allowing women to become deacons in the Catholic Church. After years of study, the group stated the historical and theological questions require significantly more research. The commission advised against making any changes to current Church law at this time. It instead recommended promoting other leadership roles for women within existing structures. Pope Francis established the commission in 2016 to examine the history of women serving as deacons in early Christianity. The role of deacon includes performing many liturgical duties, but is currently restricted to men. The Pope will now review the commission's findings. The decision effectively postpones any potential reform on the issue for the foreseeable future.