How things are changing for women in the Vatican

Gerard O’Connell is out this week, so instead of following our usual format for the “Inside the Vatican” podcast, we’re breaking out of the weekly news cycle to bring you an interview about a slow change that’s beginning for some really important people in the Vatican: Women.

Lucetta Scaraffia is the editor of Women Church World, the monthly magazine that comes as an insert in the Osservatore Romano, the Vatican’s newspaper. Gerry and I met Lucetta when I was in Rome for the abuse summit. Since Lucetta doesn’t speak English and I don’t speak Italian, we chatted in French, our only common language. You’ll be hearing a dubbed version of our conversation on the podcast.

Lucetta and I talked about the changes to the situation of women working in the Vatican and where she sees signs of hope. Lucetta is not advocating for women’s ordination to the priesthood, but she has proposed making women cardinals. Lucetta also noted that because women are often ignored in Vatican power circles, the lack of strict oversight has allowed them to propose some creative solutions to address the underrepresentation of women.

As I promised in the podcast, if you want to learn more about voting at the synods and women’s involvement, check out the links below, specifically: “Why can’t women vote at the Synod on Young People?”

Links:

• Women Church World (Donne Chiesa Mondo)
• The (almost) free work of sisters
• A manifesto for women in the church
• Why can’t women vote at the Synod on Young People?
• Pope Francis on Yemen, Venezuela and the abuse of nuns by clergy