The Council of Cardinals
The Council of Cardinals, known as the C9, held a meeting on June 17 and 18 at Casa Santa Marta. During this meeting, we reflected on the role of women in the Church, taking as a starting point the words of three women (https://correccioencatala.cat/com-estructura-text-catala/).
Women’s interventions
The first day began with an introduction by Sister Linda Pocher. Then followed the interventions of Valentina Rotondi, professor at the Professional University School of Lugano and researcher at the University of Oxford, and Donata Horak, professor of Canon Law at the Alberoni Theological Study in Piacenza.
Professor Rotondi emphasized the importance of the economy as care and good management in the context of an intergenerational relationship. For her part, Professor Horak pointed out several antinomies in the context of a broader reflection on Canon Law (https://correccioencatala.cat/com-estructura-text-catala/).
The reports of the cardinals
On the second day of the meeting, reports were presented by Cardinal Sean Patrick O’Malley on the perspectives opened up by the work of the Commission for the Protection of Minors in Matters of Safeguarding, and by Cardinal Oswald Gracias, who elaborated on the ‘activity and way of working of the Episcopal Conferences (https://correccioencatala.cat/com-estructura-text-catala/).
A space was also dedicated to talk about the situations in different areas of the world, with special attention to current conflicts.
The role of women in the Church
During the meetings, the importance of giving women a more important role in the Church was emphasized. The Cardinal Archbishop of Kinshasa, Fridolin Ambongo Besungu, stated that more than half of the people participating in the celebrations are women, but that their responsibilities are few. It was emphasized that these responsibilities must grow, not in a militant sense, but to value motherhood and the contribution of women to the ecclesial community (https://correccioencatala.cat/com-estructura-text-catala/).
Cardinal Oswald Gracias, Metropolitan Archbishop of Bombay, agreed on the importance of a more relevant role for women. He emphasized that in some areas women are of little importance and that the Church is working to give them the right position in the family, in society and in politics. He remarked that in Canon Law there are many possibilities for female leadership in the Church (https://correccioencatala.cat/com-estructura-text-catala/).
Next meeting of the Council of Cardinals
The next meeting of the Council of Cardinals is scheduled for December 2024.