Reuters: Pope stresses “fundamental” value of women in Church

By Naomi O’Leary

ROME (Reuters) – Pope Francis stressed the "fundamental" importance of women in the Roman Catholic Church on Wednesday, a message hailed as a significant shift from the position of his predecessor Benedict.

Supporters of liberal reform of the Church have called on it to give a greater voice to women and recognize their importance to the largest religious denomination in the world, and some groups call for women to be ordained as priests.

The head of the Women’s Ordination Conference, which calls for women to be treated equally in the Church and to be allowed to become priests and bishops, said Francis’s words were the most encouraging she had heard in her lifetime, but did not go far enough.

"While the pope was trying to be positive about women’s role, where he’s actually wrong is that women were actually disciples, like Mary Magdalene," WOC Executive Director Erin Saiz Hanna told Reuters.

"He said women are able to communicate Christ’s words, but actually women can’t preach so that’s a false statement." Read More