"Synod on Synodality to Address Women Deacons"

The Vatican's working document for the Synod of Bishops in Rome includes the topic of women's inclusion in the diaconate, as Church leaders and delegates ponder Pope Francis' call for a more inclusive, synodal Church. The document also urges delegates to think outside the box and consider new ministries that could provide opportunities for women's effective participation in decision-making bodies. While Pope Francis has boosted women's presence in the Roman Curia and appointed two papal commissions to study the historical and theological record on women deaconesses, he has endorsed the Church's permanent preclusion from ordaining women as priests.