In 2019 I wrote a column about the Catholic Church’s failure in that it excludes women from key leadership positions, and particularly the institutional prohibition disallowing women to preach the gospel.
Originally published in our sister newspaper the Salem News, the piece entitled “Exclusion Of Women Diminishes The Catholic Church” was distributed nationally and internationally through Women’s Ordination Worldwide — which uses the acronym WOW. The organization was founded in 1996 at the first European Synod in Austria.
“WOW is an ecumenical network of national and international groups whose primary mission at this time is the admission of Roman Catholic women to all ordained ministries,” according to its website.
The central thesis of the Church developed over centuries is that only men can preach the gospel through the positions of either priests or deacons.
The restrictions were formally confirmed by a declaration made by the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops in 2001 which read in part, “the preaching by the faithful may not take place with Celebration of the Eucharist at the moment reserved for the homily.”
Between 1962 and 1965 there was a burst of Renaissance-like enthusiasm around the Council Of The Roman Catholic Church, known as Vatican II. A veritable spiritual renewal, the Church made a quantum leap in promoting unity and specifically advanced the thought of engaging and utilizing women in spreading the Good News, to help fulfill Jesus’ command to “go and make disciples of all nations”.
However, it fell short in exacting a level of inclusiveness that would enable women to be co-equal partners with men in moving forward Christian ministry in the Catholic Church. In sharp contrast, in most Protestant and nondenominational churches, women hold leadership roles and preach openly.
Sister Helen Prejean of the famed 1993 memoir “Dead Man Walking” (later made into a movie featuring Susan Sarandon and Sean Penn in 1995) relayed her experience in her “The River of Fire,” another memoir published in 2019.
She has not only been a powerful advocate for the elimination of execution as a form of social justice, but also a vocal critic of the Church in its continued exclusion of women.
In “The River of Fire” she shares her experience as a young nun in the late 1950s encapsulated in a culture of obedience to male authority. A window of “fresh air” was slightly opened with Vatican II, but decades later her preaching of the gospel has been restricted to guest appearances in non-Catholic churches.
With the passing of Pope Francis on April 21 this year, the Catholic Church has lost a central advocate in progressive thinking in several areas ranging, from the treatment of migrants, to the earth’s stewardship, and the celebration of women as natural heirs in advancing Church doctrine, leadership and preaching.
With a new Pope Leo XIV, the former Cardinal Robert Prevost who is a formidable theologian, administrator and canon lawyer, there is a possibility that his declaration to continue Pope Francis’ mission will include progressive thinking regarding the role of women in the Church.
The Roman Curia — the formal organizational format of the Church which grants supreme authority to the Holy See (Pope) — was amended through the efforts of Pope Francis in 2022 in a reformation initiative. This resulted in allowing religious and laypeople, including women, to lead dicasteries. Of equal prominence is the directive, for the first time ever, enabling laypersons to be prefects.
Prefects are magistrate- like authorities. Within the Roman Catholic organization, as structured by the Curia, a dicastery is a congregation or department tasked with a specific administrative function to define the rules of governance in directing a specific ministry or function.
Subsequently, this past January, Pope Francis appointed Sister Simona Brambilla as the first female Prefect Of the Dicastery For Institutes Of Consecrated Life Societies Of Apostolic Life. This was a bold move as The Dicastery is responsible for overseeing all religious orders, including Jesuits, Franciscans, and other emerging movements.
In timely fashion and not long before his passing, Pope Francis continued his initiative by granting substantive leadership roles to women by appointing Sister Raffaella Petrini as the president of the Pontifical Commission for Vatican City State and also Governor of Vatican City State in February.
These sisters are the first women to hold such important posts.
With an uncertain future in advocacy for women in the Church, it remains to be seen if Pope Francis’ mantle will be carried forward. Though it is refreshing to see a significant foray into inclusiveness for women, as a practicing Catholic what I experience in my own local Church is what is ultimately important to me.
It does not give me any comfort to know that there are powerful women in Rome directing the affairs of the Church who still cannot preach the Gospel.
The Catholic Church, in America particularly, is experiencing a decline in membership. Concurrently, replacing priests has become a challenge that threatens the viability of the Church in its ability to deliver its ministries and fulfill its mission.
If the spirit of the reformed Curia is pursued, at the very least women should become deacons.
In the Catholic Church, a deacon is an ordained minister called to serve and witness Christ’s love in the world. They are clergy serving alongside parish priests focusing on ministry, outreach, charity and service. Unlike priests who preside over the sacraments, Deacons are ordained to assist in the Mass and can proclaim the Gospel.
It may take another century before women can become priests, but hopefully within my lifetime the spirit of Pope Francis’ vision will advance women into this vital role that will directly impact the daily experience of Catholics in local parishes worldwide.
My wish is that the entry of Pope Leo XIV will continue the legacy of Pope Francis and move the Catholic Church toward a new age of enlightenment.
Joe D’Amore writes regularly for The Eagle-Tribune. He can be reached at damorecos@gmail.com.