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WORLD NEWS Wednesday 3 april 2019

Pope: Women have ‘legitimate claims’ for justice, equality

By NICOLE WINFIELD sexuality in the develop-
Associated Press ment of young people. As
VATICAN CITY (AP) — Pope with the roles of women in
Francis said in a document the Catholic Church, Fran-
released Tuesday that cis did not repeat the bish-
women have “legitimate ops’ wording in recommen-
claims” to seek more equal- dations for deeper anthro-
ity in the Catholic Church, pological, theological and
but he stopped short of en- pastoral study on sexuality
dorsing recent calls from his and sexual inclinations. The
own bishops to give wom- term “homosexuality” ap-
en leadership roles. pears once in Francis’ text.
In the text, Francis also told Women have often com-
young adults they should plained they have second-
try to help priests at risk for class status in the church.
sexually abusing minors in History’s first Latin Ameri-
what a Vatican official said can pope has vowed to
was a great act of trust the change that, but he has
pope has for today’s youth done little that is concrete
to help “priests in difficulty.” and counts no women
Francis issued the docu- among his own advisers.
ment, known as an apostol- Just last week, the founder
ic exhortation, in response of the Vatican’s women’s
to an October 2018 meet- magazine resigned with
ing of the world’s bishops In this Friday, March 29, 2019 file photo, Pope Francis attends an audience with participants of a members of the editorial
on better ministering to to- course on the Internal Forum promoted by the Apostolic Penitentiary Court, in the Pope Paul VI board, citing what she said
day’s young Catholics. hall, at the Vatican. was a climate of distrust
The synod took place Associated Press and de-legitimization in
against the Church’s clergy women’s rights, and of- ment focuses on both the He urged young people to the Vatican. The editor of
sex abuse crisis and includ- fer convinced support for promises and perils of the call out a priest who seems the newspaper that distrib-
ed demands for greater greater reciprocity be- digital world and dedicates at risk of seeking affection utes the magazine denied
women’s rights. The bish- tween males and females, ample space to the plight from children and youth, efforts to undermine the
ops’ final recommenda- while not agreeing with of migrants. It uses millen- “and remind him of his women. Nine nuns were in-
tions called the need for everything some feminist nial lingo, calling the Virgin commitment to God and vited to participate at the
women to hold positions of groups propose.” Mary an “influencer” and his people.” October synod on Catholic
responsibility and decision- An organizer of last year’s describing relations with Asked if that message youth, alongside 267 car-
making in the church “a synod, Cardinal Lorenzo God in computing terms: wasn’t putting young peo- dinals, bishops and priests.
duty of justice.” Baldisseri, was asked at a “hard disk,” ‘’archive” and ple in potentially danger- None of the women had
In the new document re- news conference Tuesday “deleting.” Francis wrote ous positions with potential the right to vote on the fi-
flecting at length on the about Francis’ lack of refer- that he was inspired by all predators, another synod nal recommendations. The
October meeting, Francis ence to women in leader- the reflections from the organizer, Monsignor Fa- nuns publicly made clear
did not echo that sweep- ship positions and the need bishops’ synod and refers bio Fabene, said it was the their displeasure before,
ing conclusion. Instead, he to welcome gay Catholics. readers to the 2018 recom- contrary. Such terms have during and after the meet-
wrote that a church that Baldisseri replied that Fran- mendations. He said he long been used by church ing. The recommendations
listens to young people cis couldn’t rewrite every- wanted to use his new text officials to minimize the advocated making wom-
must be attentive to wom- thing from the final synod to “summarize those pro- criminality of priests and en a greater presence in
en’s “legitimate claims” for recommendations. posals I considered most bishops who rape and mo- church structures at all lev-
equality and justice, as well Francis’ new document, a significant.” lest children. els while respecting church
as better train both men 299-paragraph booklet en- Throughout, he urges young Asked why there was no doctrine that the priest-
and women with leader- titled “Christ is Alive,” cov- people to be protagonists reference to Francis’ fre- hood remains for men only.
ship potential. ers a wide range of issues in rejuvenating the church. quent call for “zero toler- The Women’s Ordination
“A living church can look confronting young people On the topic of child sex ance” for abuse, Baldis- Conference, which advo-
back on history and ac- today. In it, he notes that abuse and cover-ups in the seri said the pope doesn’t cates for a female priest-
knowledge a fair share many feel alienated from church, the pope called need to repeat the phrase hood, blasted the pope’s
of male authoritarianism, the church because of for the “eradication” of tra- in every document. document for ignoring the
domination, various forms its sexual and financial ditions that allowed child “You don’t need to say synod’s recommendation
of enslavement, abuse scandals, and are suffer- sex abuse to take place ‘zero tolerance’ every time to make the whole church
and sexist violence,” Fran- ing themselves from untold and for a challenge to how you go to lunch and din- aware of the “urgency of
cis said. He continued: forms of exploitation, con- church leaders handled ner,” he said. an inescapable change”
“With this outlook, she can flict and despair. cases with “irresponsibility The document acknowl- to put women in decision-
support the call to respect A hefty chunk of the docu- and lack of transparency.” edges the importance of making roles.q