Nuns Hopeful About Future of Women in Decision-Making and Deacon Commission by Joshua McElwee, National Catholic Reporter

http://ncronline.org/blogs/ncr-today/vatican-downplays-expectations-women-deacons-uisg-president-expresses-hope-decision

Pope Francis greets Sister Carmen Sammut, president of the International Union of Superiors General, during an audience with the heads of women's religious orders in Paul VI hall at the Vatican May 12. (CNS/Paul Haring)

"Many church historians have said that there is abundant evidence that women served as deacons in the early centuries of the church. The apostle Paul mentions such a woman, Phoebe, in his letter to the Romans...

UISG president Sr. Carmen Sammut said in a video statement Friday that the sisters at the audience with the pope “were quite excited by the fact that Pope Francis did not leave any question out."

"He really wanted to answer each of our questions," said Sammut. “He was very strong about the fact that women should be in the decision-making processes and the decision-making positions of the church."

Regarding the question on the possibility of women deacons, the UISG president said her group "had proposed that there would be a commission."

"He accepted that proposal and has said that he would bring that forward so that it could be studied even more than it has already," said Sammut. "And I hope that one day there will be a real decision about this."