In the News

Pope John Paul II released an apostolic letter in 1994 saying priestly ordination is reserved for men alone. In this letter, he said the presence and roles of women in the church are “absolutely necessary and irreplaceable,” even when not linked to the ministerial priesthood. Since then, many Catholic women have fought for the ability to receive…
Read more

In the wake of Pope Francis’ announcement Jan. 11 that officially opened altar serving, lectoring and eucharistic ministries to all “lay persons,” rather than just men, Catholic organizations and individuals expressed a mix of emotions, including joy, disappointment and a bit of wry humor — or just plain surprise. Some saw the move as a positive step…
Read more

A Vatican women’s magazine has gently criticized recent remarks by Pope Francis on naming women to positions of authority in the Catholic Church, saying the pontiff touched a “sore point” by again warning against the so-called clericalization of women. “Women Church World,” a monthly supplement to the Vatican’s L’Osservatore Romano newspaper, offers a commentary in…
Read more

Spanish-language news outlet Religión Digital quoted WOC Executive Director Kate McElwee in its article on the Pope’s change to canon law regarding women as acolytes and lectors: “La WOC ‘da la bienvenida’ al texto papal, que ‘lleva a la Iglesia institucional a una mejor alineación con las realidades pastorales de todo el mundo,’ al tiempo que…
Read more

Executive Director Kate McElwee was interviewed on Spanish-language W Radio in Colombia about the Pope’s recent letter, “Spiritus Domini:” “Yesterday Pope Francis released an apostolic letter called ‘Spiritus Domini,’ which expands Canon Law 230, which is regarding the ministries of lector, acolyte, altar server, Eucharistic minister, to include all lay people. So, it’s not every…
Read more

“Miriam, how big a step forward for women in the Catholic Church is this?” “Well, it’s a big step forward in the sense that even though it feels like it’s not much progress because so many women in so many churches have been performing these roles, it’s a big step forward because it’s the first…
Read more

“I’ll just get your reaction first. The decision made by Pope Francis, are you happy with the decision? Is it a start or not enough?“ “You know, it’s a little bit of both. It’s kind of a mixed reaction. It’s one of these things where it is and isn’t a change. It’s reflecting what’s happening…
Read more

“You know, I was pretty surprised, it’s not every day that you see the headline ‘Doctrinal Development in the Catholic Church,” particularly around women. And as you said, I think this shift brings the institutional Church in better alignment with pastoral realities around the world. And I think importantly, also, it eliminates the ability of…
Read more

Pope Francis today changed church law to allow women to be permanently installed as lectors or acolytes—essentially, readers, distributors of Communion and assistants at Mass and the sacraments. While women have performed these ministries at Mass for decades, they had until now been barred from being permanently installed in these roles. Such permanent installation, made…
Read more

The role of women in the Catholic Church is expanding and it’s no longer based on the decision of an individual Bishop. It’s coming from the top. “It’s a really welcome change from the Pope,” Katie Lacz, of Women’s Ordination Conference, said. Advocates for gender equality in the Catholic Church are praising the decision by…
Read more