It’s no secret that the priesthood in the United States is aging, quickly. But what if part of the solution to the priest shortage is actually ordaining more older priests?

Many people who oppose the idea of women as deacons fear that the potential candidates aren’t faithful Catholics. That couldn’t be further from the truth.

Even though women make up more than half of U.S. Catholics and 80 percent of lay ecclesial ministers, a new report found that Catholic women still struggle to have their contributions recognized.

The number is dropping, mirroring trends seen in religious life and the priesthood for the past half-century.

Hundreds of faithful were also present at the ordination Mass, which was more subdued than past years because of travel restrictions and limited seating due to the pandemic.

This week on “Inside the Vatican," Colleen Dulle speaks with Phyllis Zagano about the church’s history not only of ordaining women deacons, but also the conversation around ordaining them again.