Vatican Conference Discusses Women in the Church

A group of about 100 women from around the world gathered at a Vatican conference on the theme “God Entrusts the Human Being to the Woman,” a phrase from John Paul II’s apostolic letter Mulieris Dignitatem, which was released 25 years ago. The Pontifical Council for the Laity organized the event held in Rome in mid-October. Among the participants were representatives from the more conservative wing of the church, including Maria Voce, president of the Italian lay movement known as Focolare; American Vicki Thorn, founder of the antichoice Project Rachel; as well as Sheila Garcia and Helen Alvaré, both formerly employed by the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops. Even among this sub-section of Catholic women, some were in disagreement with the very idea of a separate women’s theology. Helen Alvaré told the National Catholic Reporter, “I want to talk about a theology of men and women together.”