Vatican Synod Concludes: Catholic Church's Stance on Women's Priesthood and Transgender Community

2023-10-29 18:56:49

VATICAN CITY – The Catholic Church’s important bishops’ synod concluded without a clear position on controversial issues such as women’s priesthood and the approach to the transgender community. 300 bishops and 65 lay people, including 50 women, participated in the month-long synod. This was the first time that women and laymen were given the right to vote. In the 81-paragraph synod document, the most objectionable was the issue of women’s priesthood. A two-thirds majority vote on each paragraph was adopted. After a year, the Synod will reconvene and approve a document clarifying its position on important issues. The Synod concluded with the Holy Mass of the Pope at St. Peter’s Basilica.

Pope Francis has a sympathetic approach to women’s priesthood and the integration of the transgender community into the Church. There are indications that opposition to the issue of women priesthood is waning. Although there was a discussion in the synod regarding the issues of the LGBTQ community, there was no significant mention in the synod document. In one place it is said that the problems of these marginalized people should be solved. There is general agreement that women should be more involved in church affairs.

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