Women on the Synod Agenda?

Working Document for Synod on the Amazon

Yesterday, the Vatican released the working document ( Instrumentum Laboris ) for October's Amazonian Synod, with several lines relating to women and ministry. In particular, the document suggests identifying the type of "official ministry that can be given to women," and recovering aspects of the early Church, where women's charisms and gifts were recognized. It also asks that the voices of women be heard, and states that women should participate in decision-making processes.

While the Amazonian Synod is meant to discuss the challenges and hopes of that region, the urgent pastoral needs of the regional communities are not dissimilar from the rest of the Church: How do we as a Church care for one another and creation? How do we empower local voices and ministries? How do we model Jesus in challenging times?

The headlines from yesterday focus on the discussion on indigenous elders - married men - being ordained to provide the sacraments in regions with a shortage of priests.
While we applaud greater access to the Eucharist and the opportunity for all people to answer their call, the continued exclusion of women from ordained ministries is not a solution.

There is hope in this document, and moreover, a challenge for the institutional Church to recognize what is already happening on the ground: Women are ministering to the People of God. If we are to "look for the helpers," as Mister Rogers liked to say, amidst the failures and disasters of our institution, we must look for and empower women. And as the Synod prepares to convene in October, we say: Give them a vote, too.

For equality,

Kate McElwee

Executive Director

Katie Lacz

Program Associate

Vaticano cogita permitir que homens casados se tornem padres na Amazônia

WOC Executive Director Kate McElwee was quoted in Globo, a Brazilian news outlet, on the Instrumentum Laboris:

"W omen are ministering to their communities on the margins in order to meet the needs of the People of God. In our current crisis, the institutional Church would be wise to look to the church on the ground: look to the women. We also hope this commitment to including women in decision-making roles will extend to the Synod itself, by allowing women the right to vote on Synod documents alongside their male peers." Read the full article here (in Portuguese)

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