Pope Leo XIV drew laughter and applause Oct. 24 when he recalled asking his mother in the 1970s if she wanted equality with men. “No,” she replied, “because we are better now.”
The Pope shared this memory during a debate on the role of women in the Church, at the opening of the Jubilee of Synodal Teams and Participatory Bodies, a three-day meeting for representatives involved in the implementation of the global synodal process.
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The story, he explained, emerged at a time when debates about equality between men and women were just beginning to gain strength in his native United States. Her mother’s response, she said, was not a joke, but an affirmation of women’s distinctive gifts. “Women have many gifts,” he added, recalling their vital role in family and parish life.
Pope Leo then described a community of sisters in Peru whose charism is to serve where there are no priests. “They baptize, assist in marriages and carry out wonderful missionary work that serves as a testimony even for many priests,” he said.
But the Pope warned that in many parts of the world cultural barriers still prevent women from playing their rightful role.
“Not all bishops or priests want to allow women to exercise what could well be their role,” he said. “There are cultures where women still suffer as if they were second-class citizens.”
The task of the Church, he added, is to help transform these cultures “according to the values of the Gospel,” so that discrimination can be eliminated and “the gifts and charisma of each person are respected and valued.”
Referring to the synodal process as a whole, the Pope insisted that synodality “is not a campaign, it is a way of being and a way of being for the Church.” He also stated that the objective is not to impose a “uniform model”, but to foster a spirit of conversion and communion through listening and mission.
In response to questions from Church representatives in Africa, Oceania and North America, Pope Leo emphasized the importance of patience and formation.
“Not everything moves at the same pace or at the same speed,” he said. “Resistance often arises from fear and lack of knowledge.” Without adequate training, he warned, “there will be resistance and lack of understanding.”
Regarding the environment, he called for courage to respond to the “cry of the earth,” urging Catholics not to remain passive but to “raise their voices to change the world and make it a better place.”
Translated and adapted by ACI Prensa. Originally published in CNA
Antonio Tarallo