Women's Diaconate Network hopes for movement at the World Synod. Stealth priestesses begin to march on Rome.

“Of course we demand the whole office”

Despite all resistance, the new chairwoman of the “Women's Diaconate Network” is sticking to the demand for ordinations for women. Jutta Mader-Schömer hopes for “own dynamics” at the World Synod next week.

Dr. Jutta Mader-Schömer (New Chairwoman of the “Diaconate of Women Network”): Because there are still many women who have the deep longing and desire to get involved in the church in this way. They want to help support the kingdom of Christ, the kingdom of God on earth.

Rejecting and offending these women again and again is not good. It would be good for the church to strengthen this diaconal trait and to make the basic implementation of diaconal work more tangible and tangible for people through female deacons.

DOMRADIO.DE: Some women say that you should demand the whole thing straight away, aim for ordination as a priest and not allow yourself to be "fobbed off" with the diaconate. What do you think?

Mader-Schömer: I think that is a big misunderstanding because deacon is also a first step on the way to becoming a priest. This is a word with two meanings. But they are different callings.

Dr. Jutta Mader-Schömer "Of course we demand the entire office, that's very clear."

We also see this with men, where there are priests and deacons. What our participants in the diaconate course deeply desire is to turn towards people, to be recognized and commissioned by the church through ordination and to make it clear that this is an essential characteristic of the church. Of course we demand the entire office, that is very clear.

DOMRADIO.DE: Why do you think people in Rome are obviously very afraid of changes in this area in particular?

Mader-Schömer: We certainly won't be able to fully understand it. I think change is always scary. Something that you are used to having to think about in a new way and then having to think about it in a way that opens up other paths could be a problem.

Dr. Jutta Mader-Schömer

"But if you only row with one oar, you won't get anywhere, you'll go around in circles."

I find this difficult because nothing should be taken away from them. There will and should continue to be male priests and deacons. But if you only row with one oar, you won't move, you'll just go around in circles.

A participant at the general meeting summed it up. She said she feels it is an amputation, a sin against the body of Christ, if women continue to be denied ministry.

DOMRADIO.DE: Opponents of women's ordination repeatedly claim that this is a purely German, or at least a purely European, demand. You experience it completely differently, right?

Mader-Schömer: It is also clearly described in the Synodal Way paper, for example, that the universal church is demanding this. This was a clear demand before the Amazon Synod. It was also written by many continental bishops' conferences in the papers prepared for the World Synod.

It was also clearly addressed by women from all parts of the world at the “God’s Strong Daughters” congress in Leipzig. To say that we Germans want a special approach is simply not true.

DOMRADIO.DE: What expectations do you have for the World Synod, which starts in Rome at the beginning of October?

Dr. Jutta Mader-Schömer

"We look at what's happening. Sometimes such gatherings have their own dynamics."

Mader-Schömer: With eager anticipation. We look at what's moving. Sometimes such gatherings have their own dynamics. I expect our German bishops to adhere to the vote of the Synodal Way, as described in number eight of the paper on “Women in Offices”.

I expect that they will work at the church-wide level and at the world synod for the admission of women to the sacramental diaconate. This applies to all particular churches who, due to their pastoral situation, want there to be different speeds.

But I expect the bishops to take this clear vote of the synodal path in Germany with them to Rome and to campaign for it there.

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