Vatican Summit Calls for Women's Leadership in Church

The recent Vatican summit concluded with a call for increased leadership roles for women within the Catholic Church but did not advocate for the ordination of women as clergy. While the final document emphasized that there are no impediments preventing women from taking leadership roles, the issue of women serving as deacons remains open for further discussion. The summit, initiated by Pope Francis, also refrained from explicitly addressing the inclusion of the LGBTQ community, despite discussions on the need for a more welcoming Church. The assembly included cardinals, bishops, and laypersons from over 110 countries, and emphasized the importance of giving lay Catholics a greater voice in selecting bishops. It also acknowledged the ongoing pain of abuse victims within the Church. Pope Francis has tasked groups to report back on various subjects, including the role of women in the Church, by next June.