Despite opposition from the Vatican, German Bishop Georg Bätzing believes that women will be allowed to be ordained as deacons in the Catholic Church.
Bätzing, the chairman of the German Bishops' Conference, expressed confidence that the change would be made at some point in the future.
"But please don't tie me down to a specific time," Bätzing said.
The bishop addressed the issue on Thursday at a packed panel discussion at the German Catholic Days event, a major gathering of German faithful which is being held in the central city of Erfurt.
In a recent interview, Pope Francis answered with a direct "no" when asked whether a Catholic girl would one day have the opportunity to become an ordained deacon.
Bätzing said he was irritated by the pontiff's comments. He said he has spoken to Pope Francis several times about the question of women deacons and had never heard him talk like that before.
Bätzing, however, made it clear that the Catholic Church in Germany would not press ahead with the ordination of women without the support of the Vatican.
"That rupture has happened," said Bätzing, the bishop of Limburg. "Unfortunately, we experienced that 500 years ago."
He expressed his commitment to a worldwide universal Catholic Church, but also said that some decentralisation is necessary.
Catholics in Germany tend to be more liberal than fellow believers around the world.
The German Bishops' Conference has been at odds with the Vatican over a series of proposed reforms - known as the Synodal Path - that would share considerable decision-making power with lay believers. Clergy currently hold dominant power within church institutions.
Joining Bätzing in the panel discussion on Thursday was Irme Stetter-Karp, the president of the Central Committee of German Catholics, the country's largest lay group.
She once again called for greater speed in the reforms of the church on Thursday.
"We need a church that is attractive and that people feel drawn to," Irme Stetter-Karp said.
She said that the Catholic Church has lost incredible amount of trust as a result of the sexual abuse scandals.
"Of course we can't be indifferent to that," she said.
Karp cited survey results according to which 96% of Catholics in Germany urgently want reforms, and she described her frustration at the lack of progress in the Synodal Path reform process.
But she added: "I probably wouldn't be a Christian or couldn't call myself one if I didn't believe in transformation."
Earlier in the day, German Catholics gathered outside despite the rain to celebrate Corpus Christi mass outdoors in front of the imposing 12th century Erfurt Cathedral.
Erfurt Bishop Ulrich Neymeyr led the service on the Catholic feast day, which was dedicated to the motto of the 103rd Catholic Day conference, "The future belongs to the man of peace," which comes from the Books of Psalms.
"Commitment to justice and peace - this is something we urgently need, both in society and in politics," said Neymeyr.
Among those attending the service was Bodo Ramelow, the left-wing state premier of the German state of Thuringia, which includes Erfurt.
Unlike in some other parts of Germany, Corpus Christi is not a public holiday in Thuringia, where the Reformation icon Martin Luther spent much of his life. The region is traditionally Protestant and also sits in the former communist East Germany.
Around 20,000 German Catholics are expected to make the trip to Erfurt for the Catholic Day events, which opened on Wednesday and will continue through Sunday.
Rain storms in the forecast for the coming days could force changes to the schedule, as many of the events are held outdoors.