Gender equality vote in Catholic council fails
The Australian Catholic Church has voted against giving women equal standing with men, in a ‘stunning blow’.
Australia’s Catholic Church has denied women the opportunity for equal standing with men in its ranks after a vote aiming to modernise the church was unsuccessful.
The Plenary council, the highest formal gathering of Catholic churches in Australia, voted against a wide-ranging motion emphasising the role of women in the church during its assembly in Sydney.
Seen by advocates as key to pushing for a better, more inclusive church, it failed to receive the required two-thirds support, with only 25 of the 43 bishops voting in favour.
John Warhurst, chairman of Concerned Catholics Canberra Goulburn, said the result was “disheartening” for the future of the church.
“This is a stunning blow for so many Australian Catholics – women and men – who believe the church desperately needs women in leadership roles at a time when the number of male priests is draining away.”
“The blow against women comes when our hopes had been raised that in the wake of the disastrous child sexual abuse royal commission we were promised church reforms that would mean no more ‘business as usual’.”
The motion called for bishops to consider allowing women to become deacons, and included clauses asking for women to be given equal representation in decision-making.
The motion read, “the Church in Australia has travelled some distance in more recent times.”
“Though some women are content with and find fulfilment in their role in the Church, the attention of the Plenary Council has been drawn frequently to the significant task that remains, especially regarding women’s participation in leadership and governance structures.”
Mr Warhurst said, “Church authorities have made much of the 200,000 people who made submissions for change, yet when it comes to the crunch of reflecting the will of the people, the leadership has failed to recognise the spirit of so many submissions.”
The motion will be reconsidered later in the week after more than half of the council’s 277 members agreed to review it.
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