Fight for equality: Women religious demand justice in the church

Fight for equality: Women religious demand justice in the church

International Women's Day on March 8th is a reminder of the need for equality for women, as Sr. Franziska Madl and Sr. Christine Rod, both leading members of the Austrian Religious Conference, emphasize. Despite progress in the Catholic Church, challenges remain, particularly in equal opportunities for women. Sr. Madl pointed out that young women are becoming less willing to accept injustice within the church and feared that a lack of transparency in appointments could lead to a decline in young women's engagement. (kathpress reported on the problems and opportunities that International Women's Day brings with it).

Progress and challenges

The two nuns reported positive developments in the Church, particularly through the appointment of women to high leadership positions in the Vatican, such as Sr. Simona Brambilla. These changes send a strong signal about the role of women in church positions. Nevertheless, they emphasized that women in leadership positions continue to face higher demands and criticism. Sr. Rod described how the prejudices against women religious are persistent. Despite their qualifications and experience, they are often still confronted with stereotypes. (katholisch.at addressed the prejudices that women religious experience and how these challenges can be addressed).

A central demand of the women religious is gender equality within the church. This is not just about women's priesthood, but also about fair participation and pay in important positions. Sr. Madl noted that the Church is in a position where it urgently needs to develop new forms of cooperation between full-time and volunteer workers and between men and women. A lack of young priests also increases this pressure for change. To meet the challenges of the times, Madl said, the church must find a balance between innovation and tradition in order to evolve and remain relevant.