Calgary woman part of march advocating for women’s ordination within the Catholic church

On Friday Calgarian Jeanie McKibbon participated in march at adjacent to the Vatican, advocating for women’s ordination within the Catholic church.

“Wanted to make the point that the women of the world we're paying attention to what's happening at the Vatican and advocating for change,” she said.

For the past 2,000 years, the Catholic church has not allowed women to become priests. 

“We're looking for structural change in the church,” she said. “That includes a serious consideration and of ordination of women, which we think will naturally arise out of having more inclusive and collaborative decision-making processes.”

The march was part of the Synod on Synodality, a month-long meeting that will help the church chart its future course. The discussions also highlighted some hot-button issues, putting everything on the table for delegates to discuss. Topics include women deacons, priestly celibacy and 2SLGBTQ+ outreach.

Pope Francis said the Catholic church must rebuild to make it a place of welcome for "everyone, everyone, everyone," as he opened the synod that has sparked hope among progressives and alarm among conservatives.

The march was part of the Synod on Synodality, a month-long meeting that will help the church chart its future course. The discussions also highlighted some hot-button issues, putting everything on the table for delegates to discuss. Topics include women deacons, priestly celibacy and 2SLGBTQ+ outreach.

DECLINING NUMBERS IN NORTH AMERICA

According to religious studies professor Peter Baltutis, who is the Catholic women's league endowed chair for Catholic studies, the Catholic church has seen declining numbers in North America.

“I think perhaps the biggest reason is that many people feel as if the things that they're concerned about they're not seeing reflected in the pastoral priorities of the church,” said Baltutis. “Many women feel they've been excluded from positions of power and leadership, and now they feel they want to have a greater voice in that area.”

Balitus sees this in younger woman he teaches at St. Mary’s University in Calgary.

“They see this as a point of injustice,” said Balitus. “The fact that they're barred from having a leadership role in the church. For many young people, that's a challenge right now.”

McKibbon, who was on the trip with two other woman from southern Alberta, feels opening up leadership roles in the church to women would bring a balance of voices to the church.

“It's not enough to have a small percentage of male-ordained people within the church, making decisions about where the church should go," she said. "We find that it narrows the point of view, it makes it more difficult to make good decisions and to consider all perspectives.”

There won't be any binding decisions at this Synod on Synodality, as it's only the first session of a two-year process.

The second synod will take place in October 2024.

WOMEN'S RIGHTS ADVOCATE

The move to march for women’s ordination by McKibbon sits well with Sarah Elder-Chamanara, the owner of Madame Premier.

“I think it's really amazing and admirable that despite the systemic denial of women in the Catholic church, that they continue and they persist, and they are so determined,” she said.

Her business advocates for the increased “participation of women and girls in politics and beyond.”

“It means that one day at a service on a Sunday that women and girls sitting in the pews, of that church will see themselves represented,” she said.