Women’s Ordination Conference statement on the passing of Pope Francis
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: April 21, 2025
The Women’s Ordination Conference (WOC) joins Catholics around the world in mourning the death of Pope Francis on April 21, 2025, as reported by the Vatican early this morning. We extend our heartfelt condolences and hold in prayer the global church during this time of grief and transition. His death is a profound loss for the church and the world.
Pope Francis brought a refreshing and deeply pastoral presence to the papacy, emphasizing mercy, dialogue, and accompaniment, and providing a renewed focus on the church’s mission to serve the most marginalized. Pope Francis worked to bring the church in better alignment with the pastoral realities around the world, especially through his outreach to the LGBTQ+ community.
His commitment to dialogue emboldened a deep discernment on the role of women within church structures. Francis made significant appointments of women to top positions at the Vatican in roles previously reserved for men. And during his pontificate, we witnessed women voting at the Vatican for the very first time. These cultural and practical shifts toward the inclusion of women cannot be understated.
While we will continue to experience the gifts of Pope Francis’ openness to reform, we lament that this did not extend to an openness to the possibility of women in ordained ministry. His repeated “closed door” policy on women’s ordination was painfully incongruous with his otherwise pastoral nature, and for many, a betrayal of the synodal, listening church he championed. This made him a complicated, frustrating, and sometimes heart-breaking figure for many women. We long prayed that Pope Francis would be transformed by the testimonies of women sharing their sincere calls from God to ordained ministry, and guide the church towards embracing the fullness of women’s equality. Yet when it came to the topic of women in ministry, he seemed stuck in bad theology and outdated tropes.
As we reflect on Francis’ legacy and take time to mourn his passing, WOC will remain steadfast in our commitment to advocating for women’s ordination in the Roman Catholic Church. We pray that Pope Francis’ successor will build on his spirit of dialogue and courageously— and finally—open the door to women as deacons, priests, and bishops.
May Pope Francis rest in peace, and may his vision for a more merciful and compassionate church continue to inspire transformative change.
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CONTACT: Kate McElwee, Executive Director, Women’s Ordination Conference
Founded in 1975, the Women’s Ordination Conference (WOC) is the oldest and largest organization working to ordain women as deacons, priests, and bishops into an inclusive and accountable Roman Catholic Church. A feminist voice for women in the Roman Catholic Church, WOC is a grassroots-driven movement that promotes activism, dialogue, and prayerful witness to call for women’s full equality in the Church.