The possibility of formal governance and ministry for women hinges on their admission to the clerical state, which is demonstrably possible by their readmission to the diaconate. Historical exegesis supports the Catholic Church’s present ability to ordain women deacons, and recent official discussion suggests that the readmission of women to the ordained diaconate may be on the horizon. This article parses the terms “governance” and “ministry” and provides some conclusions about the ways the terms have been used recently.