A significant Catholic convention declared on Saturday that it was “urgent” to grant women decision-making positions in the Church and suggested further study be done before allowing women to become deacons.
The 365 members of the Synod of Bishops’ general assembly, which includes Pope Francis, reached a consensus on a 42-page statement detailing their opinions on a variety of topics, ranging from digital culture to polygamy, after four weeks of discussion.
One of the main subjects was the status of women in the Catholic Church, which has been ruled by men for the last 2,000 years, forbids abortion, does not recognize divorce, and employs no female priests.
“There is an urgent need for women to participate in decision-making processes and assume roles of responsibility in pastoral care and ministry,” the final declaration said.
They acknowledged that the idea of women becoming deacons able to celebrate baptisms, marriages and funerals, but not masses was divisive.
But they asked for further “theological and pastoral research on the access of women to the diaconate”, with the results published at the next assembly, due in one year’s time.
The document said women at the Synod had spoken of a “Church that wounds”, complaining that “clericalism, a chauvinist mentality and an inappropriate use of authority continue to scar the face of the Church”.
In the end, opponents of the final declaration made up of about 20 percent of the votes, with the portions on women receiving the most “no” votes.
When the statement was released, Cardinal Mario Grech told reporters, “This confirms that these are open questions.”
Even yet, he maintained that the Church “creates spaces for everyone” and that there was “still a way to go”.
The Vatican’s private talks came after a two-year global consultation on matters ranging from the treatment of LGBTQ faithful to the ordination of married priests.
For the first time, laypeople and women, totaling fifty-four, were granted the same voting rights as cardinals and bishops.
Because of this, there were high expectations for the talks when they began on October 4—conservatives were worried that the doctrine would be distorted, but there were also high aspirations for reform.
Although the final text was ultimately restricted, observers celebrated a change in the Synod procedure as a whole.
“This is the first time that the diversity of perspectives across cultures and continents has been expressed so strongly and so clearly,” said one of the participants, speaking on condition of anonymity.
The gathering will officially come to a close on Sunday at the Vatican with a liturgy led by Pope Francis, 86.
In an effort to bring the Church closer to the faithful and less hierarchical, Francis has pushed to change Church governance since entering office in 2013.