Pope Francis has approved changes to the rules governing the Synod of Bishops, a Vatican body that brings together bishops from around the world for regular meetings, following decades of demands from women for the right to vote.
The Vatican on Wednesday published the changes it approved, which outline its vision for the lay faithful to assume a greater role in church affairs that have long been left to clerics, bishops and cardinals.
At the end of the meetings, the bishops vote on specific proposals and present them to the pope, who then draws up a document taking into account their opinions.
Until now, the only people who could vote were men
But under the new changes, five religious sisters will join the five priests as voting representatives for the religious orders.
In addition, Francis decided to appoint 70 members of the synod who are not bishops and asked that half of them be women. And they will have the right to vote.
It is also desired that among these 70 non-episcopal members, young people will be included, who will be proposed to the pope by the regional blocs, with Francis taking the final decision.
„It is an important change, it is not a revolution“, said Cardinal Jean-Claude Hollerich, one of the main organizers of the synod.
The next meeting, scheduled for October 4-29, focuses precisely on the topic of making the church better reflect and respond to the laity, a process known as “synodality” that Francis has advocated for years.
The October meeting was preceded by an unprecedented two-year survey of the lay Catholic faithful about their view of the church and how it can better respond to the needs of Catholics today.
Cardinal Mario Grech, who is in charge of the synod, pointed out that with these changes, approximately 21% of the representatives gathered at the October meeting will not be bishops, and half of this group will be women.
Acknowledging unease within the hierarchy about Francis’ vision of inclusion, he stressed that the synod itself would continue to have a majority of bishops to rule.
Hollerich declined to say how the female members of the meeting will be known, given that the members have long been known as “synodal fathers.” Asked if they would be known as “synodal mothers”, he replied that it would be up to the women to decide.
Francis has maintained the Catholic Church’s ban on ordaining women as priests, but has done more than any other pope in recent memory to give women a greater say in decision-making roles in the church.
He has appointed several women to high-ranking positions at the Vatican, although no women lead any of the Vatican’s main offices or departments, known as dicasteries.
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