Pope Francis dismissed the possibility of female deacons, in his interview with CBS 60 Minutes.
When interviewer Norah O’Donnell asked whether a woman could ever become a deacon, the Pope answered simply: “No.” He went on to say:
If it is deacons with Holy Orders, no. But women have always had, I would say, the function of deaconesses without being deacons, right? Women are of great service as women, not as ministers, as ministers in this regard, within the Holy Orders.
The Pope’s clear response to the question came in an extended version of the 60 Minutes interview that was broadcast on Monday night, May 20, following the regular broadcast on Sunday evening.
The Pope’s clear response to the question contrasted with recent statements by other leading prelates— and even with claims that the Pontiff would back the admission of women to the diaconate.