Francis, the pope who tried to ‘demasculinize’ the Church and angered conservatives

Analysis by Christopher Lamb, CNN During Francis's papacy, the role of women in the Church became a pressing priority, amid pressure from Catholics across the globe demanding change. The Argentine pontiff listened, breaking down significant barriers within the Vatican to appointing women leaders to top positions. He opted to implement incremental changes that might have seemed small to outsiders but represented major advances to those within the…

Francis, the pope who tried to ‘demasculinize’ the Church and angered conservatives

At the final meeting of bishops and Catholic faithful at the Synod last year, the only issue that stirred the otherwise calm waters was that of women’s access to sacred ministries. Throughout its two millennia of history, decisions in the Catholic Church have always been made by men. The presence of women in the leadership is a deeply divisive issue, one that even threatens schism.Seguir leyendo

Pope Francis leaves behind legacy of elevating women in the Catholic Church

Pope Francis will be remembered for elevating women to positions of power within the Catholic Church. Vatican author, historian and guide Elizabeth Lev joins Chris Jansing at the Vatican to reflect on the changes the Pope made.

Pope Francis’ historic appointments: 4 women helping to lead the Vatican

Religious sisters gather to pray the rosary for Pope Francis in St. Peter’s Square at the Vatican, Monday, April 21, 2025. / Credit: Daniel Ibáñez/CNA CNA Staff, Apr 25, 2025 / 11:45 am (CNA). Throughout his papacy, Francis took steps to appoin... [...]

How Pope Francis addressed the role of women in the Church

During the Francis papacy, the role of women in the church emerged as a pressing priority, with Catholics across the globe calling for change. The Argentine pontiff listened, breaking some important glass ceilings in the Vatican when it came to appointing female leaders to senior positions. He chose to make gradual changes that, to the outside may have seemed like small steps, but were huge leaps to those on the inside. The pope appointed the fi…

Francis’ legacy is in his attempt to devaticize the Catholic Church, to make it less Roman and more human, more universal. A very difficult task because despite the sympathies he unleashed in atheistic or agnostic progressism, it also caused negative reactions in the Catholic world and sometimes indifference in many worlds ... THE LEGY OF FRANCISCO/DESVATING THE CHURCH Read more »