Lay people, especially women, will benefit from the Pope’s decision to expand those allowed to vote in the Synod on Synodality’s concluding discussions to include women, say leading Asian theologians. They agree the decision will compel Asia’s national churches to widen male and female lay Catholics’ participation in Church activities. The ruling means “the universal Read more
On the last day of their meeting at the Vatican this month, the seven-member Synod of Bishops’ preparatory commission had an audience with Pope Francis. Bishop Daniel Flores, who has been coordinating the synod process for the United States bishops, said the meeting was “very encouraging”. Francis speaks “very beautifully about the Church and about Read more
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 Read more
Women’s votes at synods of bishops should be sought and they should have a larger role, say two Rome-based umbrella groups representing about a million Catholic religious from around the world. The Union of Superiors General for priests and brothers and the International Union of Superiors General for sisters and nuns are working on a Read more