NCR: Theologians praise expanding synod to lay voting members as ‘very significant’
Theologians and Catholic Church reform groups are praising Pope Francis’ decision to expand participation in the upcoming Synod of Bishops on synodality to include laypersons as full, voting members for the first time.
In NCR interviews after the Vatican’s announcement of the change on April 26, several prominent experts characterized the move as a substantial development….
…The Vatican’s decision to include laywomen as full members in the synod comes after years of lobbying by church reform groups.
In 2018, groups including FutureChurch and the Women’s Ordination Conference organized a petition with nearly 10,000 signatures advocating that women religious superiors should be able to vote in synods. The Women’s Ordination Conference also staged a peaceful protest outside that year’s meeting of the synod, which was focused on young people.
“This is the result of sustained advocacy, activism and collaboration and witness from the grassroots,” Kate McElwee, executive director of the Women’s Ordination Conference, told NCR.