A Female Diaconate

[VoTeckam]

Yes, I know I could research this on my own... but why should I when I have scholars at my fingertips?

Is there a single instance in which a deacon acts in persona Christi? There is not one that comes to mind. What then prohibits a female from being ordained into the permanent diaconate?

[Pio Nono]

JMJ
12/24 - Christmas Eve

VoTeckam,

There's a short and a long answer to your question, but I'll try to navigate between them.

You're right when you mention that deacons do not act [i]in persona Christi[/i] as priests do. And it is true that there were female deacons - deaconnesses - in the early Church. That being said...

The difference between male and female deacons in the early Church is that male deacons were [i]ordained[/i] by the laying-on of hands, whereas female deacons were not. The "job" of the female deacon was to arrange the sanctuary before the Liturgy and assist in the baptism of women (for the sake of propriety). In the Western Church (and in all but the Maronite Church in the East), the role of the female deacon fell out of use with the development of the lower clergy (in the West, they were called the Minor Orders). In fact, they can't be found in the West after 400 (with one MAJOR, and majorly weird, exception, which persists to this day - you can message me for more info). They no longer exist in any Eastern Church, either.

In short, we only found a use for female deacons so long as there were no "seminarians" to do their job. Now that we have a "lower clergy" in the form of lectors and acolytes, there is no function for the female deacon to fulfill. To bring it back would only create confusion in the Church, and this is no time for more confusion.

I hope this helps. Peace!

Yours,
Rev. Mr. Pio Nono