Throughout this semester, we have studied women through the centuries and their role in the Catholic Church. Focusing primarily on women’s reproductive rights, this paper looks to discuss in what ways the Church has already reformed on these topics due to Pope Francis and how the Church needs to continue to reform in order for women to feel welcome in the church despite their personal heath choices. I will use academic sources as well as a personal interview to help with this exploration. As Mary Radford Ruther writes, the ““Roman Catholic Christianity has a problem with women. This problem is deeply rooted in its history, in its assumptions about gender and sexuality.” These established assumptions about women and …show more content…
, Beattie discusses the transformation of the Vatican since the election of Pope Francis. Pope Francis has taken to rework the teachings of the Catholic Church and it’s understanding of the role of women. However, “the transformation of the papacy under Pope Francis makes it difficult to predict the Vatican’s future role in these debates…he has ushered in a more pastorally sensitive and pragmatic approach to such issues. He has expressed dismay over the Church’s ‘obsession’ with abortion, contraception and gay marriage.” With such a modern and forward thinking Pope, women have begun to grow hope that the Church will change in their …show more content…
Another way in which the church should be reformed for women is to welcome them into the church. This can be done in many different ways. In terms of reproductive rights, women who decide to use contraceptives or choose to have an abortion should not be shunned from the Church; rather, there should be a separation of Church and women’s health issues. And regardless of what they choose to do with their bodies, the Church should always welcome women into the Church. No woman should ever feel as though they cannot enter into the Church and feel unwelcomed due to a private, personal, decision.
Overall, throughout the centuries, women have suffered from discrimination within the Church. With the induction of Pope Francis, the Church is perhaps turning a new leaf to acknowledge the role of women and the inequality found within the Church. While there are many things that the Church needs to reform when it comes to women, such as ordination and jobs within the Church, the heath rights of women should be at the forefront. While the church may not agree with the modern medical advances with birth control, or the act of abortion, it is important for the Church to acknowledge that some of these decisions are done so for the health of the woman. And by doing so, the Church must willingly welcome all women into the Church, rather than push them away from feeling