Vatican commission votes against allowing women as Catholic deacons

A high-level Vatican commission voted against allowing Catholic women to serve as deacons, maintaining the global Church's practice of all-male clergy, said a report given to Pope Leo and released on Thursday.

The commission, in a 7-1 vote, said historical research and theological investigation "excludes the possibility" of allowing women to serve as deacons at this time but recommended further study of the issue.