‘Women are left with nothing again”: how the world press assesses the results of the Synod of Bishops of the Catholic Church
Over the course of a month, 360 bishops and influential figures of the Catholic Church discussed the direction of the church’s future development at a specially convened Synod, which resulted in a final communiqué. The main topic of discussion was democratisation and the possibility of granting women the right to hold official church positions. This sparked lively discussions not only among believers but also in the global media, which assessed the results of the Synod in different ways. In this review, IA FACT has collected reactions from foreign publications: some see the document as a sign of hope for change, while others see it as another defeat for reformist aspirations.
Kleine Zeitung – Austria. The Church is at a crossroads,’ says the Vienna-based Kleine Zeitung:
‘By convening the World Synod, Pope Francis intended to initiate a dynamic process. For four years, bishops and laity, men and women, have been discussing the future of the Church in Rome. The ideas about it are very different, so the outcome of the Synod was mixed. While some participants were in solidarity with the Global South and the new culture of listening to each other, the reformers felt that their hopes had been dashed.
They intended to use the Synod to give lay people, women, and local churches more power. But no specific decision was made on any of these issues. … What is important for Europe is not necessarily important for Africa, Latin America or India.’
La Croix – France. The Pope stayed in the background, notes with satisfaction the Paris-based Catholic newspaper La Croix:
“The results may seem cautious – or even disappointing as far as the role of women is concerned – but the aim was not to speak out with some immutable truth, but to promote mutual development. Most importantly, the Synod invites all levels to be inspired by the vitality that permeates communities.
The Pope is setting the right example by refraining from issuing written explanations that would make his interpretation binding on everyone. He demonstrates that even as a man of authority, it is possible to behave with restraint – and calls on every believer to take responsibility on the ground.”
Il Sole 24 Ore – Italy. Milan-based Il Sole 24 Ore offers the following analysis:
‘Strengthening the role of women in positions of responsibility in the church and opening the door for ‘deaconesses’ are the main points contained in the synod document adopted on Saturday by a two-thirds majority. … And here is the main passage of the text:
“The assembly calls for the full realisation of all the possibilities already provided for in current law regarding the role of women – and above all where they have not yet been implemented. There is no reason why women should not be able to exercise leadership in the church.”
… This final document will be included in the church’s curriculum. It is a law, even if it does not prescribe any specific actions, but only indicates the general vector to be followed.”
Aargauer Zeitung – Switzerland. ‘Women are left with nothing again,’ sums up the Aargauer Zeitung:
“Vatican commissions have been dealing with the issue of women’s ordination for decades – and have consistently postponed its resolution. … There is no reasonable reason to hold on to gender discrimination in the name of God, especially since without women, church service in many countries will simply cease to be possible.
… In fact, not a single tenet of the faith would change if priests or deaconesses spoke to the congregation. Jesus would still be called Jesus. The Bible would also not have to be rewritten. This gentleman from Argentina has been given the reputation of a reformed pope by mistake. Yes, he positions himself as a kind of ‘people’s pope’. …But the supreme head of all Catholics is not a reformer. When it comes to church doctrine, he remains steadfast.”
As a reminder, the Synod of Bishops of the Catholic Church, led by Pope Francis, did not make the expected decisions on gender equality in the church, in particular, did not support the ordination of women as deacons. The final document states that ‘the question of women’s access to the diaconate remains open’.
Commenting on the decision, Pope Francis called for witnessing peace and being able to live with diversity. Cardinal Victor Fernandez explained that the pontiff does not yet support the idea of women deacons, but is ready to further study this issue. To this end, a special commission has been set up to analyse the possibilities of expanding women’s rights in the Catholic Church, but only outside the official church ministry. According to Fernández, the time has not yet come for women to be ordained as deacons, as most women in the church do not want the diaconate, which could interfere with their lay activities.
These results have come as a disappointment to those Catholics who advocate for the recognition of women’s spiritual vocation on an equal footing with men. At present, women are not able to hold senior church positions, although they do a significant amount of work, including running Catholic hospitals and schools. In the Catholic Church, clerical positions remain exclusively a male prerogative.
