Pope's big synod on church future produces first document, but differences remain over role of women

Pope Francis’ big meeting on the future of the Catholic Church is heading into its final stretch

Pope Francis’ big meeting on the future of the Catholic Church headed into its final stretch Wednesday, with differences over the role of women still dividing the assembly even as it produced its first document after a month of debate.

The Vatican released a letter from the 364-member synod, or meeting, to rank-and-file faithful, updating them in general terms on where things stand in their deliberations. It was approved 336-12 by the voting members of the assembly, which for the first time has included 54 women voting alongside bishops.

Francis called the meeting back in 2021 as part of his efforts to reform the church and make it more welcoming and responsive to the needs of the faithful today. During two years of preliminary consultations among Catholics around the world, there was a near-universal call for the church to open up greater opportunities for women to take on decision-making roles and have their voices heard.

The whole process has generated tremendous hope for change among progressive Catholics and resistance from conservatives. In the letter released Wednesday, synod members made clear that those differences remain and will be outlined in more detail in a 40-page synthesis document that will be voted on Saturday night.

“There are multiple challenges and numerous questions: The synthesis report of the first session will specify the points of agreement we have reached, highlight the open questions, and indicate how our work will proceed,” the letter said.

Delegates will return to Rome in October of next year to continue the debate and present final proposals or conclusions to Francis.

Women have long complained they are treated as second-class citizens in the church, barred from the priesthood and highest ranks of power yet responsible for the lion’s share of church work. They have long demanded a greater say in church governance, at the very least with voting rights at Vatican synods but also the right to preach at Mass and be ordained as priests and deacons.

While ordination of women priests is off the table, the question of women deacons was an official agenda item for the meeting. Many delegates, male and female, have spoke out in favor of conferring onto women a ministry that existed in the early church.

In the letter released Wednesday, there was no mention of the issue. But the text did note the historic nature of the fact that women and men were sitting at the same table together, listening to one another and voting together.

On Wednesday, the men attending the Vatican's official press conference made clear that anyone hoping for radical change for women would come away disappointed.

Cardinal Robert Prevost, the American head of the Vatican’s bishops office, said women were increasingly being given high-ranking jobs at the Vatican and were even being consulted in the nomination of bishops. But he insisted there was no changing the 2,000-year tradition of the church, which confers priestly ordination only on men.

“It’s not a given just because in society … a woman can be president, or women can have many different kinds of roles of leadership in the world,” he said. “It’s not like there’s an immediate parallel to say ‘In the church, therefore.’”

He said the church is different, needs to be different, and must reflect more on what roles women can undertake. “But it isn’t as simple as saying that, at this stage we’re going to change the tradition of the church after 2,000 years on any one of these points,” he said.

Cardinal Dieudonn Nzapalainga, archbishop of Bangui, Central Africa Republic, said women cannot be left behind, and that he asks them for advice. But he said including them more in church authority roles was a “work in progress.”

"They do not have a formal role, but I listen. I listen to women. I invite women to participate,” he said.

Archbishop Timothy Broglio, president of the U.S. bishops conference, stressed that religious sisters at least in the U.S. have had a tremendous influence on priests, since many taught them in schools.

“I think if you talk to most diocesan priests, they will trace their first inklings of a vocation to the work of the sisters in the schools. And that was a tremendous source of influence,” he said.