The recent Synod on Synodality held in Rome has reignited frustrations among Catholic women over the Vatican’s reluctance to allow women greater leadership roles, including ordination. A newly launched campaign, Catholic Women Strike: Global Witness for Equality, is calling for women worldwide to take action in protest, demanding recognition and reform.
The movement urges women engaged in Catholic organisations—whether as volunteers, employees, or regular churchgoers—to withhold their contributions during Lent 2025, from 5 March to 20 April. The campaign’s website declares:
“We believe the time is ripe to demand what is right … Instead of waiting for a papal ‘yes’, we issue forth our ‘no’ to the systems of misogyny, sexism, and patriarchy.”
The Synod and Women’s Roles
The Catholic Church has been engaged in a global consultation process for three years under Pope Francis, with discussions taking place at parish and diocesan levels. Women’s issues, particularly the need for expanded leadership roles and ordination, emerged as key topics. Despite these conversations, the Synod’s final document offered limited progress, stating: “The question of women’s access to diaconal ministry remains open. This discernment needs to continue.”
The Vatican has previously commissioned studies on the history of women deacons in 2016 and 2020, acknowledging that women have historically fulfilled this role. Many campaigners view the ordination of women as deacons as a stepping stone to eventual priesthood, a progression seen as necessary amidst declining numbers of male candidates for ordination, particularly in Europe.
The Synod’s failure to make definitive commitments was exacerbated by Cardinal Victor Manuel Fernández’s absence from a pivotal meeting on women’s ministry, further fuelling discontent.
Calls for Action
Kate McElwee, executive director of the Women’s Ordination Conference, said the Synod initially brought hope for change, but the lack of concrete outcomes has left many feeling betrayed. “There was a sense, on the back of the Second Vatican Council, that change would soon happen,” she explained. “Over decades, there have been setbacks—but the Synod felt inspiring. Women’s ministry was clearly high on the agenda.”
For the first time, the Women’s Ordination Conference was referenced on the Vatican’s official website, raising expectations. However, McElwee described the Synod’s final statements as “disappointing and insufficient,” with theological rhetoric failing to resonate with grassroots communities. “It felt hollow … we want to make visible the huge contribution women make to the church.”
The strike campaign, supported by organisations worldwide, aims to highlight the critical role women play in the Church. McElwee added, “If enough women join us, this will make an enormous difference.”
Unrecognised Contributions
Miriam Duignan, a representative of the UK-based Catholic Women’s Ordination group, criticised the Church for sidelining women’s contributions. “Women are already doing priestly work but by virtue of their gender they are never recognised,” she said. Women often prepare congregants for sacraments, such as baptism and marriage, and carry out essential administrative and pastoral work while male priests take the credit.
Duignan dismissed claims that ordination is a Western concern, asserting that the demand for reform is global. “The church hierarchy says this is a white, western agenda, but it isn’t. The whole world is saying: we want women to be recognised.”
Pat Brown, a member of Catholic Women’s Ordination in Leeds, warned of the Church’s reliance on women. “The Synod has left many of us feeling angry,” she said. “The Church would fall apart without women. They kept saying they would look at the issue of women’s roles, but how many hundreds of years do they need to do what is right?”
Broader Implications
Supporters of reform argue that recognising women’s roles and ordaining them as deacons or priests is not only a matter of justice but also essential for the Church’s future. Declining male vocations, particularly in Europe, threaten the Church’s capacity to serve its communities effectively.
Critics of the Vatican’s inaction point to historical precedents for women’s ordination and argue that the Church’s structure is increasingly at odds with contemporary values. They contend that without addressing the gender imbalance, the Church risks alienating its members and undermining its mission.
A Test of Resolve
The strike during Lent aims to send a strong message to the Vatican about the necessity of reform. By withholding their labour, Catholic women hope to demonstrate the extent of their contributions and the cost of continued inaction.
As the campaign gathers momentum, it reflects a broader challenge to the Church’s traditional hierarchy. For many, the question is no longer whether women will be ordained but how much longer they must wait.
