Pope Francis asks for prayers so women have stronger presence in the Church

In his video message for the month of October, Pope Francis asks Christians to pray for the laity, especially women in leadership roles in the Church.

He observes that every Catholic is born a lay person, and that “lay people are protagonists of the Church.” The pope also says that “today, it is especially necessary to create broader opportunities for a more incisive female presence in the Church,” and to avoid “falling into forms of clericalism that diminish the lay charism.”

COMPLETE TEXT:

No one has been baptized a priest or a bishop. We have all been baptized as lay people. Lay people are protagonists of the Church. Today, it is especially necessary to create broader opportunities for a more incisive female presence in the Church. And we must emphasize the feminine lay presence because women tend to be left aside. 

We must promote the integration of women, especially where important decisions are made. We pray that by the virtue of baptism, the laity, especially women, may participate more in areas of responsibility in the Church, without falling into forms of clericalism that diminish the lay charism.