COSTELLO: Pope Francis is taking the first steps toward allowing female deacons in the Catholic Church. The Vatican just announced the creation of a commission made up of seven men and six women to study the possibility. Pope Francis created the commission after intense prayer, and mature reflection. That's according to the Vatican's Press Office. So let's head to Rome and CNN's Delia Gallagher. OK I am stunned over this, Delia.</s>DELIA GALLAGHER, CNN FAITH AND VALUES CORRESPONDENT: OK Carol well, let's take it one step at a time. Because what the Vatican has announced is the setting up of a commission to look at the historical role of women deacons in the early church. I emphasize this because Pope Francis himself, back in May, he was asked by a group of nuns to set up this commission, he said yes, he can do it. The next day the headlines came out that he was opening the door to women deacons. And he specifically told the journalists on the airplane coming back from Armenia, that he was a bit angry to see a headline that he was opening the door to women deacons. Because all he had agreed to was setting up this commission. So that being said, this commission is going to look at the role of women deacons in the early church. There were women deacons. But the question hinges on ordination. Deacons are an ordained minister in the catholic church. That is why they are male. If the commission comes back and says "yes, actually, women in the early church did the same thing as ordained deacons today," then it would be revolutionary. And Francis would have an opportunity to say, "OK let's have ordained women deacons." But let me emphasize that that's a long way off at the moment. The commission's work is still a -- probably at least, conservative estimate -- a year away. And then the Pope will have to decide. Carol?</s>COSTELLO: All right, Delia Gallagher, many thanks. And thank you for joining me today, I'm Carol Costello. "AT THIS HOUR" with Berman and Bolduan starts now.
Pope Francis Exploring Possibility of Female Deacons.