Cardinal Kasper: Women's diaconate would make sense

The German Cardinal Walter Kasper, who lives in Rome, is open to reform. In his autobiography, which will be published on 10 June, he calls for the diaconate to be opened up to women.

Cardinal Walter Kasper, former president of the Pontifical Council for Promoting Christian Unity, leaves a session of the Synod of Bishops on the family at the Vatican in this Oct. 6, 2015, file photo. Cardinal Kasper, Pope Benedict XVI's theological "sparring partner," remembered the late pope in a column in the Vatican newspaper. (CNS photo/Paul Haring)

The German Cardinal Walter Kasper is in favour of a women's diaconate in the Catholic Church - and believes further reforms are necessary. "In my personal opinion, opening up the permanent diaconate to women has good theological arguments in its favour and would be a sensible pastoral step," writes the 92-year-old in his autobiography.