POPE TO STUDY ROLE OF WOMEN DEACONS
The Pope has set up a commission in order to study the role of women deacons within the religious institution. The group, formed of seven men and six women, is set to study the historical relevance of women in theological institutions. The formation of the panel comes in the wake of several comments questioning the restrictions against women advancing higher than a ministerial ranking in the church. However, despite the seemingly progressive nature of this move, Francis maintained that women deacons and priests were not a likely possibility.