Women set to vote at Rome Synod

Thursday, March 16th, 2023

Everyone who participates in the Synod of Bishops is eligible to vote, including women.

Pope Francis made the comment in an interview with the Argentinean newspaper La Nacion.

Francis stressed that including diverse voices in the synod is an ongoing process but that everyone who participates in the synod, regardless of gender, has the right to vote.

This marks a significant change from the previous policy, which limited voting to bishops and a select group of priests and religious brothers.

La Nacion asked Francis about the importance of the Synod of Bishops on synodality.

During the 2019 Synod of Bishops for the Amazon, he said “the question was asked: Why can’t women vote? Are they second-class Christians?”

The Vatican’s answer always had been that while the input of many was essential to a synod, it was the role of bishops to discern and vote.

Traditionally, 10 priests were elected by the men’s Union of Superiors General of religious orders as full voting members of the synod alongside bishops.

However, In February 2021, Francis named Xavière Missionary Sr Nathalie Becquart as one of the undersecretaries of the synod general secretariat, a post that would make her an automatic voting member of the assembly.

So, La Nacion asked the pope if only one woman would have a vote at the next synod assembly.

“Everyone who participates in the synod will vote. Those who are guests or observers will not vote,” he said, but whoever participates in a synod as a member “has the right to vote. Whether male or female. Everyone, everyone. That word everyone for me is key.”