Women in the Catholic Church

The Latest

Delegates vote to approve a synthesis report at the conclusion of the Synod on Synodality on Oct. 28, 2023.

Pope Francis steers delicate course on women, the Church, and the Synod on Synodality 2024

Oct 1, 2024

By Hannah Brockhaus

On Oct. 2, Pope Francis will open the second session of the Synod on Synodality, the last part of the... Read more

Pope Francis meets with the Council of Cardinals on Feb. 5, 2024, at the Vatican.

Pope Francis authors preface to book on ‘Women and Ministries in the Synodal Church’

Jul 15, 2024

By Walter Sánchez Silva

Pope Francis has written the preface to the book “Women and Ministries in the Synodal Church,” authored by three theologians... Read more

Pope Francis at the canonization of María Antonia of St. Joseph — known affectionately in the pope’s home country as “Mama Antula” -- on Feb. 11, 2024.

Pope Francis canonizes Argentina’s first female saint

Feb 11, 2024

By Courtney Mares

Pope Francis praised the Argentine saint as “a model of apostolic fervor and boldness” for traveling “thousands of miles on... Read more

Pope Francis meets with the Council of Cardinals on Feb. 5, 2024, at the Vatican.

Female Anglican bishop participates in meeting with pope’s Council of Cardinals

The pope’s Council of Cardinals concluded a meeting at the Vatican this morning with Pope Francis reflecting on “the role... Read more

Cardinal Robert Francis Prevost has served as prefect of the Dicastery for Bishops since April 12, 2023.

Cardinal at Synod on Synodality: ‘Clericalizing women’ will not solve problems

Oct 26, 2023

By Courtney Mares

Cardinal Robert Francis Prevost noted that the Catholic Church is not a mirror image of society and “needs to be... Read more

Bishop Joseph Strickland of Tyler, Texas.

Bishop Strickland: Church has ‘no authority whatsoever’ to ordain women to priesthood

Sep 6, 2023

By Daniel Payne

The bishop issued the letter as a follow-up to an August document in which he warned of attempts to “present... Read more

Pope Francis at the general audience in the Vatican, Aug. 24, 2022

Pope Francis warns about ‘arbitrary and ideological adaptations’ to Church ministries

Aug 24, 2022

By Hannah Brockhaus

In a message Wednesday, Pope Francis warned against letting ideology influence the Church’s ordained and lay ministries, and said he... Read more

The Church of the Sacred Heart of Jesus in Lungern, Switzerland

Swiss bishops' Synod report: Catholic Church denies equality to women and excludes LGBT people

Aug 16, 2022

By AC Wimmer

The Swiss Bishops' Conference's report from the Synod says the Catholic Church was seen as suffering from clericalism as well... Read more

Sr. Raffaella Petrini meets Pope Francis.

Pope Francis appoints three women to Dicastery for Bishops

Jul 13, 2022

By Hannah Brockhaus

Pope Francis on Wednesday named three women to the Dicastery of Bishops, the Vatican office responsible for evaluating new members... Read more

Pope Francis and St. Teresa of Avila

Pope Francis hails St. Teresa of Ávila as exemplar of courage and spiritual motherhood

Apr 13, 2021

By Courtney Mares

Pope Francis has hailed St. Teresa of Ávila as exemplar of courage and spiritual motherhood in a letter marking fifty... Read more

Mother Angelica with John Paul II.

Mother Angelica: A female powerhouse in a supposedly sexist Church

Mar 27, 2021

By Mary Farrow

It was September 1987, and Pope John Paul II had just arrived in Los Angeles after traveling around the United... Read more

Sr. Nathalie Becquart (third from left) poses with Pope Francis and others during the youth synod in 2018. Credit: Daniel Ibanez/CNA.

Pope Francis names religious sister, priest as under-secretaries of the Synod of Bishops

Feb 6, 2021

By Hannah Brockhaus

Pope Francis Saturday appointed a Spanish priest and a French religious sister as under-secretaries of the Synod of Bishops.  Read more

Carmelite nuns.

Are religious sisters exploited by the Church? Three sisters respond

Mar 7, 2018

By Mary Farrow

Last week, the women’s edition of a magazine distributed in the Vatican published an article claiming that religious sisters in... Read more

Vestments.

Diocese says 'ordination' of woman as Catholic priest not valid

May 3, 2017

A breakaway Catholic group is in the news for attempting to ordain a woman as a Catholic priest at a... Read more

Barbara Jatta at the Vatican. Courtesy of the Vatican Museums.

She grew up in the art world – now she's leading the Vatican museums

Mar 9, 2017

By Hannah Brockhaus

Barbara Jatta, the newest director of the Vatican museums, and the first woman to hold the position, said that working... Read more

Sunset over St. Peter's Basilica.

For women, Vatican's new female advisory group 'a good start'

Mar 8, 2017

By Elise Harris

A new advisory group for the Pontifical Council for Culture is being hailed as the beginning of a greater representation... Read more

Pope Francis greets pilgrims in St. Peter's Square during the Wednesday general audience on Oct. 1 2014.

Vatican event to highlight key role of women in peace-building

Mar 6, 2017

By Elise Harris

To mark International Women's Day, the Vatican invited women from across the globe to discuss not only their work as... Read more

Is the Catholic Church anti-woman? Two feminist scholars debate

Feb 26, 2017

For Erika Bachiochi, the Catholic Church has been able to offer a genuine pro-woman theology which not only safeguards and... Read more

'Endow' women's group launches outreach to Latinos, millennials

Jan 25, 2017

In an effort to meet the Church's growth in diversity, the Catholic women's apostolate Endow has announced a new program... Read more

We've all got it wrong about women in the Catholic Church

Dec 26, 2016

By Elise Harris

When it comes to talking about women and their role in the Church, discussion tends to focus almost exclusively on... Read more