Ministry of Gifts

He was struck by an "article" I had written about the deaconess of Alexandria Angelic Molen (May 13) who was elevated to archdeaconess on Great Saturday. He was concerned that this ordination may be a preliminary step to ordaining women as priests. I responded with what he already knows: "That the major Churches explicitly believe that we are dealing with a different ministry with its own requirements in the tradition". I then told him: "In my view, the female diaconate helps uphold the integrity of the sacramental priesthood, which in our Church, is reserved solely for men". He was taken aback by what he heard. He asked me to explain further. I continued: "The male diaconate, everywhere in the world, has almost become a stepping stone to a higher ministry. Most deacons globally, indeed the vast majority, eventually end up as priests. The female diaconate restores to the diaconate as a whole that it is first and foremost a gift”. I believe that what the Church needs today is for her scholars to tell her what the tradition says about the ministry of deaconesses. This should reaffirm what the ministry of gifts requires.