In his final statement to the Synod, after the final document had been approved by the participants (the document should be available within the hour), Francis announced an explosive decision: he will recreate the commission for the study of the female diaconate, and he will name its new members.
What does that mean?
In August 2016, Francis first established a commission to study female deacons. The commission reached the only logical result, though, as fits this pontificate, a muddled one: there can be no female deacons, not in the sense of the current use of the word "deacon", because the deaconesses of biblical times were charity workers, and not in Holy Orders, as the true Order of the Diaconate has always been.
Now, prompted by his handpicked Amazon Synod, Francis has announced he will reopen the commission, pick new members, and now we can be sure they will reach whatever result he tells them to reach. Which can only be one.
And the Catholic wars will make the battles of the Anglicans look like child's play.
