He Pope Francisco He decided grant women and lay people the right to vote in the next Synod of Bishops, an assembly that brings together the bishops of the world on a regular basis. In this way, five nuns will join five priests as voting representatives of the religious orders.
This new measure, which will take place on October 4 at the Vaticanemphasizes the vision that lay people assume a greater role in Church affairs limited for centuries to bishops and cardinals.
Over the years, since 1960, the Second Vatican Council, the summit that modernized the Catholic Church, the popes summoned bishops from around the world to Rome for a few weeks to address specific issues. There they vote on proposals and present them to the pope, who then issues a document taking these positions into account.
Also, the Pontiff eliminated the figure of the auditors in the assembly and, instead, it added another 70 members, not bishops, who represent other faithful and, among them, priests, consecrated persons, deacons or lay faithful may be elected and who come from local Churches.
Until now only a few women and lay people could participate in the synods, as auditors or experts, but they could not vote. Something that had provoked protests in recent decades.
