the Pope Francisco This Sunday, the 23rd, for the first time, Roman Catholic Church lecturing and catechism services for womenpositions held by many without institutional recognition.
He granted services at Mass at St Peter’s Basilica, where, in an apparent reference to resistance to change by many conservatives, he criticized those who need strict regulations and “more rules” to find God.
Last year, Francis changed the church canon to the Lectorate and Acolyte services, which were generally reserved for seminarians preparing for the priesthood, saying he wanted stability and public recognition for the women already filling the roles.
Readers read scriptures, followers serve mass, and religious education teachers teach the principles and beliefs of religion to converted children and adults.
Written and auxiliary ministries previously existed, but were formally reserved for men. Francis established the Ministry of Christian Education last year.
At Sunday mass, the Pope assigned six women and two men as readers and three women and five men as teachers. Francis gave the Bible to every reader and a cross to every teaching teacher.
Formalization, including the commissioning ceremony, would make it difficult for conservative bishops to prevent women in their dioceses from holding these positions.
The move would be especially important as a tribute to women in places like the Amazon, where many de facto religious leaders are located in remote communities with a severe shortage of priests.
The Vatican stressed that the posts did not represent a step towards one day becoming priests. The Catholic Church teaches that only men can be priests because Jesus chose only men to be his apostles.
Oliver Ashford is a contributor to Mediarunsearch.co.uk, covering a broad range of topics including news, politics, business, technology, sport, entertainment and lifestyle. He focuses on delivering clear, balanced reporting that helps readers stay informed about current affairs and developments that matter. With an emphasis on accuracy, relevance and accessibility, Oliver aims to present useful information and engaging stories in a straightforward manner, making complex topics easier for readers to understand and follow.