The Sunday after her confirmation, when young people raised Catholic are supposed to embrace their faith for themselves, Ellie Hidalgo’s niece begged her parents to not make her go to church. “She said, ‘I just don’t think this Church is set up for somebody like me,’” Hidalgo recalled in a recent interview. “‘I don’t think Read more
Despite women’s ordination being excluded from the agenda of the Synod on Synodality, the topic remains a significant point of discussion within the Church. According to Cardinal Jean-Claude Hollerich, the General Relator of the Synod, the issue of women’s priestly ordination was not included because it was not universally raised. The Instrumentum laboris published recently Read more
According to a pastoral theologian, women’s ordination will be a significant topic at the upcoming Synod on Synodality and there will be “no turning back” on the issue. Klara-Antonia Csiszar, Professor of Pastoral Theology at the Catholic Private University of Linz, shared with Catholic media that while there will be no vote on ordaining female Read more
Bishop Georg Bätzing, head of the German Bishops’ Conference, expressed surprise and confusion over recent comments by Pope Francis rejecting the idea of women’s ordination in the Catholic Church. “I have never heard him speak like that before and have often spoken to him personally about these issues” said the Limburg bishop. “Let me say: Read more
Cardinal Jean-Claude Hollerich has cautioned against hastiness in the debate over women’s ordination in the Catholic Church. In an interview with kath.ch, the Luxembourg archbishop stressed “If you attack too much, you won’t achieve much. You have to be cautious, take one step at a time, and then you might be able to go very Read more
A Spanish theologian who advises Pope Francis revealed that while the issue of women’s ordination remains unexplored, the pontiff advocates for the female diaconate. Sr Linda Pocher, speaking to Europa Press, clarified that the Catholic Church is not considering women’s priestly ordination, yet the pope actively supports the idea of female deacons. Participating in the Read more
Some German Synodal Path suggestions for change won’t be happening, says the Vatican. Vatican Secretary of State, Cardinal Pietro Parolin, has written an official note to the German Bishops’ Conference secretary general, Beate Gilles to clarify the Vatican’s stance on the German Synodal Path reform proposals. Non-negotiable issues Some issues are “non-negotiable”, Parolin told Gilles, Read more
The much anticipated “synthesis report” from October’s synod on synodality was released after the confidential Vatican-based meetings concluded on Sunday. The synthesis report summarises synodal discussions about how a synodal Church’s ministries and structures can give a wider role for laity which is more in line with the vision of Vatican II. Big issues discussed Read more
Discussions about women’s ordination to the priesthood have become livelier in the waning days of the synod on synodality, Pope Francis’ month-long summit to discuss pressing issues facing the church. While there’s a consensus that women’s roles need to be promoted, participants remain divided on how to achieve that goal. The Vatican’s synod, which started Read more
Advocates for women’s ordination in the Catholic Church gathered in prayer and solidarity at the Basilica of St Praxedes in Rome during the historic Synod on Synodality. The Vatican has drawn the faithful from across the globe, including bishops and cardinals, for the month-long synod. The synod, arising from a comprehensive global consultation of Catholics, Read more