Sister Nathalie Becquart, undersecretary of the former Synod of Bishops, told the German newspaper 'Die Tagespost' (25 April) that there is currently "no consensus" on the introduction of a diaconate for women.
But she thinks it would be "a possibility" to leave the diaconate of women to the individual bishops' conferences (sic).
There is already a diversity of [lay] ministries worldwide, she says: "The synod could emphasise this diversity by further decentralising it".
Sister Becquart believes that Francis cannot or will not make a decision at this time. He has therefore again delegated the issue of women deacons to a commission. At the same time, he is "definitely" open to the "question" of the diaconate for women, but will "take a different path".
Sister Becquart sees her leadership of the Ex-Synod as a consequence of a "decoupling leadership positions from priestly ordination".
Francis is also doing this in the Roman Curia by appointing lay people or women to [useless] positions which previously were reserved for priests, Becquart adds.
She cites an example in France: Five years ago, for the first time, a bishop appointed a woman as general delegate alongside his vicar general.
Picture: Nathalie Becquart, CC BY-NC-ND, #newsRentpndcib