Women Gain More Power in Catholic Church

“It is impossible to find a better, more just, more inclusive and fully sustainable world without the contribution of women. (…) Their thinking is different from that of men, because they are more attentive to the protection of the environment and their point of view. It is not an appeal to the past, but to the future.” This is what Pope Francis says, who, since the beginning of his pontificate, has sought to respond to the demands of Catholic women who demand a more interventionist role in the Church, and the Dicastery is currently preparing a document on the doctrine of the Faith in this sense, according to the Vatican.

Francis has already appointed several women to leadership positions and called for discussions on other ways to make women’s voices heard. The document is expected to strengthen the position of women in leadership positions in the Church.

However, the question of priesthood is excluded, although they may have access to the diaconate. Deacons are ordained ministers, but not priests, although they may perform functions such as presiding over weddings, baptisms, and funerals. However, they cannot celebrate Mass.

“Making room in the Church for women does not mean giving them ministry, no,” Pope Francis said in a recent interview with the North American channel CBS News on the program “60 Minutes”, so female priesthood will not appear in the Church. document in preparation.

Critical position
The Women’s Ordination Conference, which advocates for the ordination of women to the priesthood, said the sidelining of the issue of women’s access to the diaconate is not a sign that the Church is seeking to include women more.

Secret commissions
During his 11-year pontificate, Pope Francis appointed two commissions to study the possibility of women’s access to the diaconate. However, the results of this work have never been published.