During the Catholic Church’s long history, women have always played a key role in religious ministry. In the New Testament, a number of women are mentioned that Jesus included in his inner circle, including Mary Magdalene, her sister Martha, as well as his mother, Mary.  Many of his parables include female protagonists as well, such as the widow who gave “everything that she had” to the Temple (Mark 12:41-44; Lk 21:1-2).

Two thousand years after his death, the role of women in the church has undergone many changes.

Regina Dominican’s president, Mary Margaret Pachucki, O.P., recalls the changes she has seen, “When I was in high school, women’s participation was much more limited than it is today. I was taught that the only way to become involved was to become a nun, work at a hospital, or teach religious education.  It was the Second Vatican Council in the early 1960s that really opened the door to new ministries for women.”

The second Vatican Council, led by Pope John Paul XXIII, sought to settle doctrine issues and to bring Catholicism into the modern world. During 1962-1965, several thousand bishops, sisters, and laypeople met to discuss religious doctrines. From these meetings, such changes as allowing Catholics to pray with other denominations, celebrating mass in other languages besides Latin, as well as changes to education, media, and divine revelation were shaped.

From this historical event, the Catholic Church gave greater women greater responsibilities within the church such as permitting and supporting women to serve on their parish council, financial committee, becoming ushers and pastoral associates (nuns or religious sisters who help the priest with many spiritual and pastoral duties).

“Today, women have a greater voice in the Church than ever before,” said Pachucki. “Women can now be theologians and study at seminaries and universities. There’s also much more female involvement in the liturgy, since women now can be lectors and Eucharistic ministers.”

One issue that has given women pause is the possibility of women becoming priests. As more questions arose over the legitimacy of female priests, Pope John Paul II, in 1994, actively sought to settle the matter. In his Ordinatio Sacerdotalis (1994), he issued a statement that the Church had no authority to admit women to the priesthood and that the question would have to be put off indefinitely.  On the other hand, the Pope demonstrated his support for women’s equality in the faith by appointing two female theologians into the prestigious International Theological Commission and a woman to be president of the Pontifical Academy of Social Sciences.

Recently, some women have expressed their dissent over the mandate that only men could be ordained priests. In January, Rev. Georgia Walker, 67, made headlines when she claimed to be “Kansas City’s first Roman Catholic priestess”, ordained by the Association of Roman Catholic Women Priests.

It should be noted that two weeks after Walker was ordained, she received a letter from Bishop Robert Finn of the Kansas City-St. Joseph Archdiocese, informing her that she had been excommunicated from the church.

Diocesan director of communications Jack Smith “merely a notice recognizing that under church law, Ms. Walker has incurred automatic excommunication because of her participation in a simulated ordination. We do hope and pray that Ms. Walker is reconciled to the Church and are eager to assist her in approaching the Vatican to reverse this automatic excommunication if she chooses.”

Pope Francis has since upheld Pope John Paul II’s doctrine, however the opportunities for women to be active in their faith continue to increase substantially.

While women’s status appears to be a steady improvement, Pachucki stresses to her students that the future of the Church is in their hands.

“If you want to be more active in your faith community, look for opportunities in your parish to become involved.  Become a lector or Eucharistic minister, join a youth group, and see if your church offers any service trips”, she said.  “Look for every possible way to be heard and keep the voice of women in the enrichment of our faith.”