Show Notes
In March 2026, the Vatican’s doctrine office released its final report on women’s participation in the life and leadership of the Catholic Church. The report brings to a close the two-year work of Study Group 5, which, as part of the Synod on Synodality, was tasked with studying women’s ministries and leadership. In this special roundtable conversation, editors at America magazine discuss the report’s content and proposals, and ask if the document changes the status quo for women in the Catholic Church.
Featuring:
Ashley McKinless, executive editor and co-host of the “Jesuitical” podcast
Kerry Weber, executive editor
Colleen Dulle, Vatican correspondent and co-host of the “Inside the Vatican” podcast
Molly Cahill, associate editor
0:00 The Vatican’s final report on women and ministry
4:23 Women’s reactions to the report
11:28 New ministries for women?
20:05 The horizons and limits of women’s authority
30:30 Will women be involved in decision-making?
Links:
The final synod report on women: what it says, what it means and what’s next
Where the women deacons question stands at the Vatican
Full Report of Study Group 5 on “The Participation of Women in the Life and Leadership of the Church”
Please consider supporting Jesuitical by becoming a digital subscriber to America magazine at americamagazine.org/subscribe Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
More from Jesuitical
Where do U.S. politics and Catholicism intersect? On this week’s roundtable episode, “Jesuitical” host Ashley McKinless speaks with America’s chief correspondent, Kevin Clarke, and Father Thomas Reese, a Jesuit priest and senior analyst at Religion News Service, about today’s “signs of the times.” Together, Ashley, Kevin and Father Reese discuss Pope Leo’s health post-cancer surgery, immigrant detention as a religious liberty issue, the death penalty and how these all tie into how Catholics are feeling about politics ahead of the midterm elections.
This week on the “Jesuitical” podcast, Ashley McKinless and Zac Davis speak with National Public Radio’s Scott Detrow about Pope Leo’s cancer diagnosis and Scott’s new book, American Pope: Leo XIV's Road from the South Side of Chicago to Vatican City. Scott shares his initial reaction to the pope’s lung surgery this week and provides insights into Leo’s medical history. Then, Scott, Zac and Ashley follow Robert Prevost’s incredible journey from Chicago to Peru to the Vatican and discuss what makes the first American pope uniquely qualified to lead the Catholic Church.
This week on “Jesuitical,” hosts Zac Davis and Ashley McKinless speak with Joseph de Viveiros, C.R., about the pastoral consequences of Pope Francis’ groundbreaking 2016 document on family life, “Amoris Laetitia.” Father Joseph is a priest of the Congregation of the Resurrection, and chaplain for the Nipissing-Parry Sound Catholic District School Board in North Bay, Ontario. As Pope Leo gathers bishops from around the world at the Vatican to review the document’s implementation, Zac, Ashley and Father Joseph discuss the complex challenges facing families and young couples, and how a lot of work needs to be done, especially by priests, to realize Pope Francis’ vision.
This week on Jesuitical, Colleen Dulle joins hosts Zac Davis and Sebasian Gomes to discuss Pope Leo’s recent visit to France, including his messages on assisted dying, European identity and the role of the Catholic Church in a secular country. Colleen also reflects on her experience of traveling with the pope for the first time.
This week on the “Jesuitical” podcast, Ashley McKinless and Zac Davis speak with Rachel Lu about the beatification of Fulton Sheen, the American archbishop who was famous for his media evangelism in the mid-20th century. Rachel is a senior editor at Law and Liberty and a regular contributor to the National Review and America Magazine. Together they discuss Sheen’s charisma, cultural influence, and his lesser known political philosophy which defended both the public role of religion and the separation of church and state.