Catholic women seek changes in policies, practices of church

MUMBAI (INDIA)
The Hindu

March 9, 2020

By Jyoti Shelar

Memorandum to Archbishop calls for equal participation

On International Women’s Day on Sunday, women have demanded equality in the Catholic Church of India. In a memorandum submitted to Cardinal Oswald Gracias, the Archbishop of Bombay who is also the president of the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of India and advisor to Pope Francis, women have called for a prophetic church where their voices count, and demanded respect from the clergy in their communication.

“We seek changes in the policies, practices and structures of the church so that women can participate fully in its life and leadership,” said the memorandum, which has 140 signatures and is being circulated to gather more endorsements. “Every year, we celebrate International Women’s Day with the full support of the bishops and clergy, but the concerns and frustrations of women within the church remain the same. We have leadership training for women but there are no spaces for them to exercise this leadership,” it said.

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