Pope willing to consider women serving as deacons

<p>The newest advocate for women empowerment just might be the Catholic Church. </p><p>Pope Francis said he will organize a commission to study the possibility of women becoming deacons in the church. </p><p><a href="http://www.vatican.va/archive/ccc_css/archive/catechism/p2s2c3a6.htm" target="_blank">Currently, only men</a> can become ordained ministers, like deacons, priests or bishops, but <a href="http://www.womenpriests.org/traditio/past_ovr.asp" target="_blank">supporters of women filling these roles</a> argue there were women leaders in the early church.</p><p>Francis has already allowed more female participation in the church — such as when he allowed women to take part in <a href="https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/acts-of-faith/wp/2016/03/24/pope-francis-has-decreed-that-women-can-take-part-in-the-foot-washing-ritual-today-maundy-thursday/" target="_blank">a foot-washing ritual that celebrates Holy Thursday</a>. </p><p>The pope's decision to encourage this study reaffirms his more open views on current issues compared to previous popes. </p><p><a href="https://w2.vatican.va/content/john-paul-ii/en/apost_letters/1994/documents/hf_jp-ii_apl_19940522_ordinatio-sacerdotalis.html" target="_blank">Former Pope John Paul II cited</a> the 12 male disciples that followed Jesus as a reason why women shouldn't become priests. </p><p>But that doesn't mean female priests don't still preach to Catholics. <a href="http://romancatholicwomenpriests.org/" target="_blank">Roman Catholic Womenpriests</a> — a group the Catholic Church doesn't recognize — has ordained more than 100 women into the role. All of those women <a href="http://www.npr.org/2015/09/16/440254032/in-defiance-of-the-church-some-catholic-women-seeking-priesthood" target="_blank">have been automatically excommunicated</a> from the church. </p><p><i>This video includes clips from the </i><i><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S4nXV1hKDJM" target="_blank">Vatican</a></i><i>, </i><i><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LW0SPLFSW_8" target="_blank">NJ.com</a></i><i>, </i><i><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eo25REZDvWA" target="_blank">WJLA</a></i><i>, </i><i><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hni1dDFhf-E" target="_blank">Catholic Diocese of Lincoln</a></i><i> and images from Getty Images, </i><i><a href="https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:John_Paul_II_Medal_of_Freedom_2004.jpg" target="_blank">the White House</a></i><i>, </i><i><a href="https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Synaxis_of_the_Twelve_Apostles_by_Constantinople_master_(early_14th_c.,_Pushkin_museum).jpg" target="_blank">The Synaxis of the holy and the most praiseworthy Twelve Apostles</a></i><i>, </i><i><a href="https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Stbrigid.jpg" target="_blank">Saint Brigid of Ireland</a></i><i> and </i><i><a href="https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:%D5%8D%D5%A1%D6%80%D5%AF%D5%A1%D6%82%D5%A1%D5%A3%D5%B8%D6%82%D5%B0%D5%AB.jpg" target="_blank">Peter Carapetian</a></i><i>. </i></p>