Pope Francis promoted women to unprecedented heights of power in the church

Pope Francis has appointed more women to leadership roles in the Vatican than any of his predecessors, challenging long-standing traditions within the Roman Catholic Church to include women in positions that were previously reserved for men. Sister Raffaella Petrini is a notable example, becoming the first woman to serve as the secretary general of the Governorate of Vatican City State – the highest-ranking role ever held by a woman in the Catholic Church.

In the early years of Christianity, women played various leadership roles within Christian communities, such as deacons, prophets, and patrons of religious communities. However, as the church became more institutionalized, male leadership became dominant, relegating women to roles focused on religious devotion rather than governance. While women had spiritual influence as mystics, abbesses, and theologians, they were excluded from church administration and doctrine.

Despite recognizing the importance of women in the church, the Second Vatican Council in the 1960s did not grant women real authority, keeping them on the sidelines of power. Pope Francis introduced reforms to increase women’s participation in church governance, such as allowing women to serve as lectors and acolytes and appointing them to key positions in the Vatican, signaling a shift towards female leadership in the church.

While these reforms represent progress, the core patriarchal structure of the church remains unchanged, and the issue of women’s ordination is still unresolved. The struggle for women’s leadership in the Catholic Church continues, as the church grapples with questions of power, patriarchy, and women’s roles in the clergy.