Protests Erupt Over Women’s Role in Catholic Church

In a significant move to amplify their voices, several Catholic women opted to voice their concerns from a park overlooking St. Peter’s Dome in Rome, after being excluded from the Conclave to elect a new Pope. Using pink smoke from flares, campaigners called for the right to seek ordination.

“We’re reaching out to Cardinals. Ignoring half of the Catholic population isn’t sustainable. The future of the church needs everyone at the table,” said activist Miriam Deignan. She argued that church leaders must bravely confront the issue of women’s inclusion.

Deignan has a history of activism; in 2011, she was briefly detained for trying to present a petition to the Vatican supporting priestly advocates for reform. She mentioned that they often faced police presence in attempts to enter St. Peter’s Square.

“The only women seen by the Cardinals are those who perform menial tasks,” she lamented, highlighting the lack of meaningful female representation in discussions about the church’s future, particularly during the Cardinals’ closed-door meetings at the Sistine Chapel.

Despite some women gaining senior roles within the church, this progress seems limited under Pope Francis, who has appointed a few women to leadership positions, though they remain subordinate to their male counterparts.

Deignan pointed out that even educated women in theology are barred from the priesthood, underscoring a hierarchy that favors male authority. “Yes, there have been some advancements, but they don’t equate to true equality,” she stated.

Historically, women were integral to early church worship before reforms shifted that narrative. Deignan noted that the men gathered for the Conclave are aware of this history but are unwilling to acknowledge it publicly.

Kate McElwee, the executive director of the Women’s Ordination Conference, termed the situation an injustice, expressing hope that one day the church might embrace women more fully. French activist Gabriel Fidellin described the exclusion as a “scandal of sin.”

Despite some reforms over the past twelve years under Pope Francis, only one of the 133 Cardinals currently participating in the Conclave is known to support women’s ordination, and even he remains unnamed, likely out of concern for his position.

In October, a report emerged after Francis approved a Working Party to explore the potential for women to serve as deacons. Although he acknowledged the topic remains open, he indicated that a decision would need to be postponed.