Theologian Tina Beattie has expressed frustration over the Vatican’s ongoing postponements regarding women’s roles in the Catholic Church, describing the situation as “platitudinous waffle”. Beattie criticised the lack of progress in an article published on Thursday by Sacred Heart University in the US. Beattie’s comments follow the release of a new working paper by the Read more
Feminist theologian Dr Niamh M. Middleton has repeatedly warned that both the Church of England and Catholic Church, which have seen dwindling congregations for decades, face extinction within 30 years. That is, unless they radically reform to give equal standing to women. Dr Middleton, author of Jesus and Women, tells The London Economic (TLE) digital Read more
A Belgian woman is suing the Catholic Church for gender discrimination after being denied entry into deaconate training. Veer Dusauchoit, 62, claims her exclusion from the programme is solely because she is a woman. “I want to train as a deacon because it interests me and I think that I will then have more tools Read more
There has been an increase in the number of women wearing veils during Mass in the Diocese of Lansing, Michigan in recent years. Before the 1970s, head coverings were required for women during Mass, just as men were required to remove their hats out of reverence for Christ. I grew up with the long veil,” Read more
US bishops at October’s synod on synodality wanted to express “a certain amount of sorrow” over how the Church treats women, says Bishop Daniel Flores. Flores, who led the US bishops’ national consultation process for the synod, says the bishop delegates spoke out when they were in Rome. They wanted to show the synod that Read more
The ongoing synod on synodality is an opportunity for the church leadership to become more accountable towards sexual abuse cases, increase laity participation, and bring more transparency within the Catholic Church, says an expert. “A synodal Church is a listening Church… but it needs to go a step further: a synodal Church is an accountable Read more
The question of women, ministry and leadership echoed loudly in parishes and bishops’ assemblies when Pope Francis called two years ago for a worldwide discussion among rank-and-file Catholics about the Church’s main challenges and issues. The question is resounding more loudly as the summit of bishops and lay Catholics known as the Synod on Synodality, Read more
Cardinal Robert Sarah recently delivered a conference on the priesthood, emphasising its unique nature and cautioning against female priesthood. Speaking at the Conciliar Seminary in Mexico City under the title “Joyful Servants of the Gospel,” the prefect emeritus of the Dicastery for Divine Worship and the Discipline of the Sacraments stressed that no individual can Read more
Women play a vital role in passing on the faith to the next generation. But when 99% of Catholic churches have a male preacher this Sunday in a world where 50% of the Catholic population are women, it’s time for our daughters and granddaughters — and sons and grandsons — to see us naming out Read more
Ask me about almost anything related to the church or politics, and I will err on the side of traditionalism, conservatism…whatever you would like to call it. I have always been a rule follower: I liked wearing uniforms at my all-girls Catholic schools, and I get annoyed when the priest goes off-book saying some of Read more