Pope Francis Meets with Catholic Church Leaders to Discuss the Future of the Church

Pope Francis meets with Catholic Church leaders to discuss the future of the church, with differences over the role of women still dividing the assembly.

ROME (AP) - Pope Francis' big meeting on the future of the Catholic Church headed into its final stretch Wednesday, with differences over the role of women still dividing the assembly even as it produced its first document after a month of debate.

The Vatican released a letter from the 364-member synod, or meeting, to rank-and-file faithful, updating them in general terms on where things stand in their deliberations. It was approved 336-12 by the voting members of the assembly, which for the first time has included 54 women voting alongside bishops.

Women's Ordination Off the Table, But Deaconate a Possibility

While ordination of women priests is off the table, the question of women deacons was an official agenda item for the meeting. Many delegates, male and female, have spoken out in favor of conferring onto women a ministry that existed in the early church. In the letter released Wednesday, there was no mention of the issue.

However, the text did note the historic nature of the fact that women and men were sitting at the same table together, listening to one another and voting together.

Church Leaders Resist Radical Change

On Wednesday, the men attending the Vatican's official press conference made clear that anyone hoping for radical change for women would come away disappointed. Cardinal Robert Prevost, the American head of the Vatican's bishops office, said women were increasingly being given high-ranking jobs at the Vatican and were even being consulted in the nomination of bishops.

But he insisted there was no changing the 2,000-year tradition of the church, which confers priestly ordination only on men. "It's not a given just because in society … a woman can be president, or women can have many different kinds of roles of leadership in the world," he said. "It's not like there's an immediate parallel to say In the church, therefore."

He said the church is different, needs to be different, and must reflect more on what roles women can undertake. "But it isn't as simple as saying that, at this stage we're going to change the tradition of the church after 2,000 years on any one of these points," he said.

Women's Voices Still Being Heard

Archbishop Timothy Broglio, president of the U.S. bishops conference, stressed that religious sisters at least in the U.S. have had a tremendous influence on priests, since many taught them in schools.

"I think if you talk to most diocesan priests, they will trace their first inklings of a vocation to the work of the sisters in the schools. And that was a tremendous source of influence," he said.

Despite resistance from some church leaders, the synod's discussions on the role of women have generated hope among progressive Catholics that the church may be moving toward greater inclusivity. The final document, to be voted on Saturday, will provide more details on the points of agreement and disagreement among the synod members. While radical change may not be on the horizon, the participation of women in the synod and the recognition of their contributions to the church are significant steps forward.