May 19, 2016 by Catholic San Francisco

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MAY 19, 2016

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Pope tells women religious Vatican will study women deacons BY CINDY WOODEN CATHOLIC NEWS SERVICE

(CNS PHOTO/PAUL HARING)

Priests walk across rose petals as they fall from the oculus of the Pantheon at the conclusion of Pentecost Mass May 15. The rose petals dropped by Rome firefighters symbolize the tongues of fire that came upon the apostles at Pentecost.

Mission must come before maintaining institutions, pope says CINDY WOODEN CATHOLIC NEWS SERVICE

VATICAN CITY – In reviewing the administration of property and finances, the Italian bishops should “maintain only what is useful for the faith experience and the charity of the people of God,” Pope Francis said. Opening the Italian bishops’ conference annual assembly in the Vatican May 16, the pope focused on the bishops’ main agenda item: “the renewal of clergy.” The agenda item on the administration of material goods fits into the main theme, though, the pope insisted. “In an evangelical vision, avoid weighing yourselves down with a pastoral plan for preservation, which blocks openness to the perennial newness of the Holy Spirit.” Quoting the late Brazilian Archbishop Helder Camara of Olinda and Recife, Pope Francis told the bishops, “’When your boat starts putting down roots in the stagnant water by the quay, put out to sea!’ Set off! And not because you ‘have’

‘When your boat starts putting down roots in the stagnant water by the quay, put out to sea!’ Set off!’ POPE FRANCIS a mission to complete, but because you are a missionary. In encountering Jesus you have experienced the fullness of life and, therefore, with all your being” you want others to encounter him as well. Pope Francis suggested that the Italian bishops, before setting out a plan for the permanent formation of their priests, spend time in silence thinking about their priests and how they give of themselves and why they do it. While bishops too often use “a bitter and accusatory tone” to speak about the modern age, he said, they are right to recognize that the current culture has left many people adrift and selfish. “On this background, the life

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of our priests becomes eloquent because it is different, alternative,” the pope said. The men who have entered the priesthood have given up their “ambitions for a career and power.” Aware of how God has healed and saved him, a priest is not scandalized by the fragility of others and is not coldly rigid, but reaches out to help others on the path to salvation, he said. “Our priest is not a bureaucrat or an anonymous institutional functionary; he is not consecrated to a white-collar. role nor is he motivated by criteria of efficiency,” the pope said. “He knows that love is everything.” In an age when true friendships are rare, he said, a priest knows how to build communion, involving and recognizing the gifts of the laity, and he commits himself in a true spirit of brotherhood to supporting and learning from his brother priests. Pope Francis asked the Italian bishops to take great care to treasure their priests and to do so “with patience and the availability of your time, your hands and your heart.”

VATICAN CITY – Pope Francis told the heads of women’s religious orders from around the world that he would set up a commission to study the New Testament deaconesses and he also insisted more can and should be done to involve lay and consecrated women in church decision-making at every level. Asked if he would establish “an official commission to study the question” of whether women could be admitted to the diaconate, Pope Francis responded: “I accept. It would be useful for the church to clarify this question. I agree.” The pope spent more than an hour May 12 responding to questions posed by members of the International Union of Superiors General, repeatedly asking if they wanted further clarification and making funny asides or rephrasing his responses when it was clear they were not hitting the mark. “I like hearing your questions because they make me think,” the pope told close to 900 superiors general, representing almost 500,000 sisters around the world. “I feel like a goalie, who is standing there waiting for the ball and not knowing where it’s going to come from.” Asked about deaconesses in the New Testament and the possibility of the modern church admitting women to the permanent diaconate, Pope Francis had said his understanding was that the women described as deaconesses in the Bible were not ordained like permanent deacons are. Mainly, he said, it appeared that they assisted with the baptism by immersion of other women and with the anointing of women. However, he said, “I will ask the (Congregation for the) Doctrine of the Faith to tell me if there are studies on this.” Pope Francis also promised to have the Congregation for Divine Worship and the Sacraments send the UISG a full explanation of why women cannot give a homily at Mass. While women can preach at a Liturgy of the Word when there is not a celebration of the Eucharist, he said, at Mass the Liturgy of the Word and the Liturgy of the Eucharist are parts of a whole and only one who is ordained can preside and preach. The main part of the question was about the lack of influence women

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