A new pope is bringing new hope to some that the Roman Catholic Church could take a major step toward giving women more equality with men by allowing them to perform some of the same functions as priests.

The election on May 8 of Pope Leo XIV, the first American pope, is encouraging one Long Island expert on women deacons who believes the time has come to bring back the practice.

"I think if the church needs women ordained to the diaconate, the people of God will not be denied that need," said Phyllis Zagano, a Hofstra University researcher and an expert on women deacons who was appointed by Pope Francis to a commission to study the issue.

Zagano doesn’t know what Leo will decide, but hopes after multiple church studies on the topic dating to 1973, he will make a "definitive" decision,

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