By Jose Kavi
New Delhi, July 22, 2024: Christian reform groups from across the world observed the feast of Saint Mary Magdalene July 22 by urging Pope Francis to ensure women’s full equality in the Church, including their ordination to priesthood.
In an open letter addressed to “Dear Brother Francis,” the Catholic Women’s Council and We Are Church International termed women’s exclusion from ordination and preaching homily as “discriminatory” and against Christ’s teachings.
The letter, endorsed by 35 Christian women groups spread across the world, also urges the Pope to include women’s full equality in the Synod on Synodality scheduled for October this year.
“The exclusion of women from Church ordination (canon 1024); Church governance (cc.129 and 274§1), and from preaching the homily (c.767§1) are discriminatory, contrary to Jesus’ inclusion of all, and deprive the Church of the benefits of gender diversity and balance in leadership,” asserts the letter.
The letter also points out that the exclusion of women hurts women’s dignity and unacceptable in the 21st century since all have received the same baptism, the same Spirit and the same calling.
“We place our request before you, Pope Francis as it is you who has set out a synodal church that “walks together”, listens, and dialogues; and therefore, invites everyone to “speak with courage and candor” (preparatory document p. 20). It is in this spirit that we place our appeal for due consideration of women’s position of full equality in the Church to be kept on the table for the Synod of 2024,” the letter concludes.
According to the Gospels, Mary Magdelene travelled with Jesus as one of his followers. She was a witness to his crucifixion and resurrection.
The Catholic Church has made her the patron of contemplative life, converts, penitents, and women. She has been designated as the patron of hairstylists and perfume makers due to the Gospel story of her anointing Jesus’ feet.
Open Letter to Pope Francis by Reform Groups
Include Women’s full equality in the Synod on Synodality, October 2024
Dear Brother Francis,
The exclusion of women from Church ordination (canon 1024); Church governance (cc.129 and
274§1), and from preaching the homily (c.767§1) are discriminatory, contrary to Jesus’ inclusion of
all, and deprive the Church of the benefits of gender diversity and balance in leadership.
All have received the same Baptism, the Same Spirit, and the Same Calling. The exclusion of women
to respond to that Calling is hurtful to women’s dignity and unacceptable in the 21 st century.
You have rightly called the Church to Walk together in Communion, Participation and Mission.
However, if women continue to be kept in an infantile position, then women can never hope to be
part of a synodal Church where they are in communion, participating equally in mission. A synodal
Church requires a change in the structures where women participate equally in decision taking, not
just in decision-making processes.
We understand that the topic ‘women deacons’ has been assigned to one of the 10 study groups
reporting in 2025. We call for transparency about the synod working groups, their members, and
their mandates. We are aware of the abundance of study, research, history, etc., that supports the
restoration of women deacons, and therefore wonder why you continue to stall on this issue.
The role of women is key to the synodal process and should be discussed as a whole and not
portioned out into women deacons, women in decision-making, women needing care, etc. To ignore
the question of women’s equality which means their access to ordination to the priesthood, is to
exclude women from synodality and ignore the voice of the ‘sensus fidei’ of the people of God.
Why do we ask this?
• Jesus treated women as equals and had many women disciples
• The “natural inferiority” of women is today completely unacceptable
• There is worldwide support for women to be ordained
• The Pontifical Biblical Commission (1976) found nothing in scripture preventing the
ordination of women
• The blunt “No” in Ordinatio Sacerdotalis (1994) is based on power and not on scripture
We place our request before you, Pope Francis as it is you who has set out a synodal church that
"walks together", listens, and dialogues; and therefore, invites everyone to "speak with courage and
candor" (preparatory document p. 20). It is in this spirit that we place our appeal for due
consideration of women’s position of full equality in the Church to be kept on the table for the Synod
of 2024.
Endorsements:
1. Women and the Australian Church (WATAC)
2. Council of Catholic Women Perth (CCWP).
3. Revuelta de Mujeres en la Iglesia from: Asturias, Sevilla, Extremadura, Zaragoza, Madrid, La
Rioja, Granada, Alicante, Tenerife, Murcia, Valladolid, Cabra, Navarra, and Gran Canaria
(Spain)
4. Ecclesia of Women in Asia
5. Indian Women Theologians Forum
6. Indian Christian Women’s9 Movement
7. Call To Action, Columbus Chapter, USA
8. Alcem la Veu from: Catalunya, Menorca, Valencia. Spain
9. Mujeres y Teología Zaragoza, Cabra, Cantabria, Spain.
10. Movimiento por el Celibato Opcional (Spain)
11. Redes Cristianas (Spain)
12. Emakumeen Aldarria Donostia – San Sebastián, (Spain)
13. As Mulleres Cristiás Galegas Exeria, Spain.
14. Mujeres por la igualdad en la Iglesia, Burgos, Spain.
15. Comunidad Cristiana de la Esperanza, Spain.
16. Tras las Huellas de Sophia. Mexico.
17. Ordens Frauen für Menschenrechte,
18. In BONA FIDE, Lana Bobic
19. Red Mirian de Espiritualidad Religiosa Femenina
20. Sr. Mary John Mananzan OSB, Philippines
21. Catholic women’s Ordination conference UK,
22. Ursula Halligan Ireland
23. Sr. Susanne Schneider Missionare Christi, München, Germany.
24. Donne per la Chiesa, Italy
25. Un Camino Teologia Para Nuestra Vida, Chile
26. Women’s Alliance for Theology, Ethics and Ritual (WATER), USA
27. Women's Wisdom in the Church (WWITCH), Australia
28. Roman Catholic Women Priests, South Africa
29. Sisters of Justice, South Africa.
30. Root & Branch Community for Reform, UK
31. Ru’ha Community, South Africa
32. Dr Sr. R=ekha Chennattu, Superior General of the Religious of the Assumption.
33. MUFECA- Mujeres de Fe para el cambio. Bolivia
34. – Comunidad Tejiendo historias. Bolivia
35. – Asociacion Civil Memoria de Mujeres. Argentina
No to women’s ordination. At least no Canadian known name or organization has endorsed this faulty letter to Pope Francis , at least so far.
Married men also should be ordained.
I, as a women, disagree with the statement that ordination and preaching the homily are necessary for equality. Neither did I except the statement regarding the “natural inferiority” of women. The Church does not consider women “inferior” to men, but acknowledges that men and women have a different role and complementary gifts. These roles do not reflect inferiority. There are roles and gifts that women have that men don’t have just as there are roles and gifts that men have that women do not. The Church can’t change the deposit of faith set down by Christ, she is only the protector of it, so has no power to change the form of the Church either.
The list of 35 signatories in the report does not include president of the Conference of Religious India (CRI), the national body of major superiors of India’s Catholic religious. I fully support this demand. In this connection readers may refer to an article captioned “The Role and Vocation of Women in the Church.” The link is https://www.indiancatholicmatters.org/the-role-and-vocation-of-women-in-the-church/. Very surprisingly in today’s time, the writer has justified his stand “Why women cannot be ordained priests and bishops!”
Many of us Catholic leaders have spoken and written openly is support of women’s ordination. I see no reason for married persons and women being denied ordination.
Totally agree
Accomplished and credible women have had the courage ,backed by expert opinion on the matter
The response should get the seriousness which it deserves
Good to see two Indian groups, a superior general and several senior religious. Would have to see solidarity from some men orders and laity