Vatican commission again votes against ordaining women as deacons World Dec 4, 2025 6:52 PM EST

ROME (AP) — A second Vatican study commission has determined that women should not be ordained as deacons, dealing another setback to Catholic women who hope one day to be able to preside at weddings, baptisms and funerals.

The Vatican on Thursday took the unusual step of publishing a synthesis of the commission’s findings, including the members’ votes on specific theological questions. The report left open the possibility of further study but proposed instead the creation of new lay ministries for women outside the ordained diaconate, suggesting that the issue for now is closed.

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