The Glass Ceiling Breaks in 2000... The Vatican Allows Women Voting Rights

Pope Francis is granting women the right to vote for the first time in the history of the global bishops' assembly.

On the 26th (local time), the Vatican Holy See announced at a press conference, "The Pope has approved changes to the norms governing the Synod of Bishops, a Vatican institution," adding, "Women will now be able to vote in the Synod." This reflects the intention to bring the voices of women and youth into the Catholic culture, which has been centered on male bishops and priests.

원본보기 아이콘

Established in 1965, the Synod is a deliberative body that discusses major issues within the Catholic Church, such as doctrine and discipline. Until now, only ten male representatives from Catholic religious orders worldwide had voting rights in the Synod, but five nuns will now have voting rights alongside five male priests.

Catholic women's organizations welcomed the decision as a "historic move in the 2,000-year history of the Church," saying it "cracked the 'stained glass ceiling' (religious barriers against women)."

The Synod meeting scheduled to be held in Rome from October 4 to 29 is expected to be the first to apply the new norms. Additionally, 70 laypeople?ten selected from each of seven global regions (Europe, Latin America, North America, Africa, Asia, Oceania, and the Middle East)?have also been granted voting rights.

The proportion of women with voting rights, including lay members, is expected to be 10%. The new members are anticipated to discuss not only major Catholic issues but also the role of women in the Church and the treatment of sexual minorities (LGBTQ) at the October Synod.

This announcement is part of the democratization and modernization efforts led by the Pope within the Catholic Church. The New York Times (NYT) reported that "the Pope has identified abuse of power stemming from hierarchical structures as a core problem in the Church."

There are reports of opposition, mainly from conservative factions within the Catholic Church. Cardinal Jean-Claude Hollerich, the Synod's responsible reporter, seemingly aware of this, emphasized, "This is an important change, but not a revolution."

© The Asia Business Daily(www.asiae.co.kr). All rights reserved.