The changing, expanding role of women in religions (The Daily Universe)

Pope John Paul II released an apostolic letter in 1994 saying priestly ordination is reserved for men alone. In this letter, he said the presence and roles of women in the church are “absolutely necessary and irreplaceable,” even when not linked to the ministerial priesthood.

Since then, many Catholic women have fought for the ability to receive the priesthood. Most notable is Women’s Ordination Worldwide [sic], an organization dedicated to “working for women’s equality and ordination in the Catholic Church.”

Women’s Ordination Worldwide [sic] Executive Director Kate McElwee said throughout Pope Francis’ papacy, he has encouraged more dialogue on the inclusion of women in the church.

Although encouraging more dialogue doesn’t sound radical, McElwee said it was a “breath of fresh air” to discuss these issues more freely.

As the movement for women’s ordination grew, certain congregations started allowing female priests.

In 2014, the National Catholic Reporter announced a “new day is dawning” as more than 200 women claimed they were official Roman Catholic priests.

Pope Francis released a “letter to young people” in March 2019 where he acknowledged the hardships many female members have faced such as “a fair share of male authoritarianism, domination, various forms of enslavement, abuse and sexist violence.”

“A living church can react by being attentive to the legitimate claims of those women who seek greater justice and equality,” the Pope said. The church “can support the call to respect women’s rights, while not agreeing with everything some feminist groups propose.”

Pope Francis formally altering the law to allow women to be lectors and acolytes “feels like a small thing and inconsequential,” McElwee said, but it is one more thing to “cross off the list” in women gaining full equality in the church.

“There are so many areas for growth,” she said. Keeping women subordinated in the church is “very damaging” for individual women’s faith, and mental and emotional health she said.

For the role of women in all religions, “this conversation is only getting louder,” McElwee said.

Read the full article in the Daily Universe (BYU’s student-run newspaper) here.