A month-long summit at the Vatican has concluded with a call for increased leadership roles for women in the Catholic Church, though it stopped short of endorsing the ordination of women as priests, a hope some progressives had harbored at the beginning of the discussions. This synod marked the culmination of a four-year consultation aimed at capturing the perspectives of practicing Catholics worldwide. Pope Francis made a noteworthy decision to include nearly 60 women among the 368 voting delegates, breaking from the traditional all-bishop conference format.
Each of the 151 proposals was voted on, and while all received the necessary two-thirds majority, the proposal advocating for greater leadership roles for women received the highest number of “no” votes in the assembly, which is traditionally male-dominated in clergy.
Among the voting delegates were nearly 60 women. Advocates for women’s roles in the Church had hoped the synod might pave the way for women to serve as deacons. However, while this specific initiative did not advance, the final document expressed that “there is no reason or impediment that should prevent women from carrying out leadership roles in the Church.”
Currently, the Catholic Church restricts deacon ordination to men, and while reform groups sought concrete steps to better include LGBTQ+ individuals, the final document did not specifically reference the LGBT+ community. The document only briefly acknowledged those who feel “excluded or judged” based on their “marital status, identity, or sexuality.”
Reverend James Martin, a prominent Jesuit priest known for his outreach to the LGBT community, remarked that the omission of explicit mention of this group was “not a surprise.” While progressives may feel disheartened by the outcome, some conservatives had already expressed discontent with the summit from its inception.
Pope Francis, now 87, referred to the final text as a “gift” to the 1.4 billion Catholics worldwide. Yet, traditionalists raised concerns over the inclusion of laypeople in this consultation process, questioning the value of collecting perspectives from non-clergy. Pope Francis believes that grassroots Catholics should have a pivotal role in shaping the Church’s future, a viewpoint that has earned him criticism from some traditionalist factions.
For the Pope and supporters of this initiative, the mere act of outreach and the participation of individuals with differing views was seen as a significant success, a foundation they hope will be built upon in the future.
Fr. Timothy Radcliffe, the summit’s chief spiritual advisor and an influential theologian from Oxford, emphasized the importance of building relationships in a divisive world. “We live in a highly fractured world in which there’s ever more war and violence, and this polarization affects the Church,” he stated. “I’ve forged friendships with people globally, including African bishops who hold vastly different views, particularly regarding the welcome of LGBT people. These friendships allow us to transcend disagreements and deepen our faith.”
However, it remains uncertain how these discussions will translate into actionable steps following the summit. Observers note that amid the compromises and avoidance of contentious issues, they see little that’s bold in the proposals. Consequently, an initiative intended to unify may have inadvertently left many feeling just as marginalized within the Catholic Church as they did prior to the summit.
