Women Missing from the Pope’s Address to US Bishops by Gina Messina-Dysert

Pope Francis offered many words of wisdom and discussed key issues in his address to US Bishops in Washington DC.  He acknowledged the sex abuse scandal as a crime and called for bishops to be healers.  He asked that bishops move beyond their own perspectives and be open to dialogue.  And his personal call to act as pastors to immigrants in the US is one that we should all adhere to.  However, I must ask, what about the women?

Noticeably absent from Pope Francis’ address are the many issues that are directly connected poverty and keep women suppressed in the Catholic Church. While he has addressed particular women’s issues on certain occasions, the pope’s comments have been brief and not followed with action. In addition, they do not honor the ongoing struggles women endure as a result of institutional violence that stems from Vatican teaching.

Refusing women’s ordination, denying reproductive rights, and maintaining a theology of complementarity, calling it an “anthropological fact,” continues a culture that perpetuates gender based violence; one that does not offer pastoral care.

In his address to the bishops Pope Francis stated, “The path ahead … is dialogue among yourselves, dialogue in your presbyteries, dialogue with lay persons, dialogue with families, dialogue with society. I cannot ever tire of encouraging you to dialogue fearlessly.”

He continued, “Harsh and divisive language does not befit the tongue of a pastor, it has no place in his hear. Although it may momentarily seem to win the day, only the enduring allure of goodness and love remains truly convincing.”  Yet, not acknowledging women seems to eliminate the option of dialogue on these issues.

While Francis did mention abortion and called for bishops to “not look the other way,” he did not mention the women who struggle with such decisions.  It seems lost on the pope and bishops that women make such decisions with care and that many feel continually abused for choosing their own health and safety.  Likewise, this ignores the complexities that exist in relation to reproductive justice and its interconnection with poverty.

Although Francis has stated that we need a new theology of women, he has made clear that the door to priesthood is closed.  How does this offer effective dialogue with the many women who have been called to the priesthood?  What about a priesthood of laity? Can we not embody the Spirit of Christ?

While Pope Francis has called for dialogue, I wonder, when will women will be welcomed to the conversation?

Gina Messina-Dysert, Ph.D., is Dean of the School of Graduate and Professional Studies at Ursuline College and Co-founder of Feminism and Religion.  She is the author of Rape Culture and Spiritual Violence (Routledge, 2014), and co-editor of  Feminism and Religion in the 21st Century (Routledge, 2014) and Faithfully Feminist (White Cloud Press, 2015).  She is a widely sought after speaker and has presented across the US at universities, organizations, conferences, and in the national news circuit including appearances on Tavis Smiley and MSNBC.  Gina’s WATER Teleconference, “In Search of Healing: Confronting Rape Culture and Spiritual Violence,” can be accessed here.  She has also spoken at the Commission on the Status of Women at the United Nations to discuss matters impacting the lives women around the globe.  She is active in movements to end violence against women and explores opportunities for spiritual healing for those who have encountered gender-based violence.  Gina can be followed on Twitter @FemTheologian and her website can be accessed at http://ginamessinadysert.com.

Author: Gina Messina

Gina Messina, Ph.D. is Associate Professor of Religious Studies at Ursuline College and Co-founder of Feminism and Religion. She writes for the Huffington Post and is the author or editor of five books including "Faithfully Feminist" and "Jesus in the White House: Make Humanity Great Again." Her research interests are theologically and ethically driven, involve a feminist and interdisciplinary approach, and are influenced by her activist roots and experience working with survivors of rape and domestic violence. Gina is a widely sought after speaker and has presented across the US at universities, organizations, conferences, and in the national news circuit including appearances on Tavis Smiley, MSNBC, NPR, and the TEDx stage. She has also spoken at the Commission on the Status of Women at the United Nations to discuss matters impacting the lives women around the globe. She is active in movements to end violence against women and explores opportunities for spiritual healing for those who have encountered gender-based violence. Connect with Gina on Facebook, Twitter @GMessinaPhD, Instagram @GinaMessinaPhD, and her website http://www.ginamessina.com. View all posts by Gina Messina