In 2016, Pope Francis gathered a commission to study the history of women deacons in the church. For the first time, Phyllis Zagano and Bernard Pottier, S.J., two members of the commission, speak about their life-long research on this topic. This Conversation with America is hosted by Michael O'Loughlin, national correspondent for America.
Churches are beginning to reopen. Should you go back to Mass? Four of America's editors who recently attended Mass at their local parishes discuss the discernment process and safety measures around this question facing Catholics during the Covid-19 pandemic.
Father Bryan Massingale, author of “Racial Justice and the Catholic Church” and Professor of Theology at Fordham University, joins America's Michael O'Loughlin for a conversation on racism, white privilege and what the church can do to address these issues moving forward.
Father Chris Walsh ministers in an African American parish where he has learned the importance of dialogue and action for racial solidarity.
Father Bob Stagg is the pastor of The Church of the Presentation in Upper Saddle River, N.J., located in Northern Bergen County, with over 4,700 families and 100 ministries.
Listen carefully. The real take-away is the word' deacon' had more than one application in history, ie., the office, when applied to women, intersected but did not confer the same authority as was conferred by the ordination of men. Further, there's no confirmation by Catholic authority the conclusions of this woman scholar,likely heavily weighted with Feminist bias, are worthy of belief. Isolated instances of an aberrant practice do not make a practice 'Catholic'; however, there are many ways women could have served that wouldn't have required ordination. Baptism by women of other women occurred in some remote places where immersion was practiced, likely for the sake of modesty. This can still be done in emergency. There may also be room for witnessing Matrimony. I was taught to baptize in kindergarten. Sister explained, in event of a miscarriage,, we could baptize after we broke the sack. We, little kids in wooden chairs and semi circle, with teacups and baby dolls, solemnly practiced the words and actions Sister demonstrated. I never forgot it..The memory is precious.