Brazilian bishop: Pope Benedict XVI opened path to women’s diaconate Bishop Evaristo Pascoal Spengler argued that a change the retired pontiff made to the Code of Canon Law can be used to argue for women's 'ordination' to the diaconate. News Dorothy Cummings McLean and Matthew Cullinan Hoffman and Martin M. Barillas • Oct 28, 2019Jun 18, 2021