USA TODAY: ‘Crack in the stained glass ceiling’: Pope gives women right to vote at crucial bishops’ meeting

Pope Francis ordered unprecedented changes Wednesday for the Vatican’s upcoming bishops conference, for the first time providing women the right to vote and expanding access to the faithful who are not clergy.

Changes include allowing participation of 70 non-bishop members at the Synod of Bishops set for Oct. 10 from each of the seven regional conferences around the world. Half of the additions are expected to be women. Young people also are to be included. 

The Women’s Ordination Conference – a group working to ordain women as priests, deacons and bishops – lauded the changes, saying they resulted from a collaboration in which the group played a founding role. 

“This is a significant crack in the stained glass ceiling, and the result of sustained advocacy,” the conference said in a statement.

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