The Synod promotes more leadership roles for women within the Catholic Church

He Synodthe summit of bishops and faithful from around the world to the Vatican, concluded this Saturday, October 26, 2024, with a document in which It urges women to seek more positions of responsibility and to study the female diaconate, with a notable division, and to prevent the scourge of abuse.

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The Argentine pontiff himself attended the last session of debates to announce that he will not write an apostolic exhortation with indications on the matter, but that this document is “sufficient” as a compass for the churches of the entire planet.

The Synod is a consultative “summit” instituted by Paul VI in 1965, in light of the openings of the revolutionary Second Vatican Council. Until recently, Only bishops from around the world participated, but by order of Francis lay people and women have joined.

On this occasion, This assembly has had 358 “synodal fathers and mothers”, since 53 are women, also with the right to voteand after a month of intense debates on important issues for the Church of the future, today they have drafted a final document.

One of the issues that has received the most attention is the role of women in the Catholic Churchbut it has also been the part that has caused the most divergences among attendees.

In point 60 it is read that “There are no reasons that prevent women from assuming” leadership in the church and it is urged to continue analyzing one of the hottest debates, the possibility of ordaining deaconesses. It is the paragraph that has created the most annoyance: 97 votes against compared to 258 in favor.

The Synod recognizes that there are already some women who hold positions of responsibility but “invites them to give full effect to all the opportunities already provided for by current law regarding the role of women.”

And he maintains that The question of the female diaconate “remains open”, pointing out the need to “continue with discernment” on this issue, although the pope has acknowledged that, for now, the times “are not ripe.”

Furthermore, this Catholic summit encourages giving more room to women in liturgies “The assembly also invites us to pay more attention to the language and images used in preaching, teaching, catechesis and the writing of official documents of the Church, giving greater space to the contributions of holy women, theologians and mystics.“, he claims.

Likewise, it is recommended that in the training of priests there is “a significant presence of female figures”.

Another issue that the document alludes to is the long shadow of child abuse, which has marked the celebration of this global “conclave”. In fact, it began with an act in which Pope Francis and representatives of the Curia asked for forgiveness and confessed their “shame” for these sins.

In his conclusions, The Synod has urged “to make communities increasingly safer places for minors” and to provide themselves with prevention instrumentsconfirming an important unity since only a dozen members voted against this.

“The Church must recognize its own faults, humbly ask for forgiveness, care for the victims, provide itself with instruments of prevention and strive to rebuild mutual trust in the Lord.“, he complains.

Although the work “has already begun,” and the Pope has taken several measures to combat this scourge, the Synod calls for “continuing this commitment by offering appropriate specific training to those who work in contact with minors and weaker adults.”

TIZIANA FABI/AFP

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