The Catholic Women’s Council (CWC) has called for urgent changes in the Catholic Church’s approach to women, family life and protection from abuse, ahead of Pope Leo’s October 7-14 meeting with bishops, families and theologians marking 10 years since the publication of Amoris Laetitia.
The global network, which brings together more than 60 Catholic organisations, said the Church’s approach continues to operate within what it describes as an “androcentric, patriarchal framework” that limits women’s voices and participation.
The council argued that appeals to “women’s dignity” are too often made without addressing equality, and called for a move away from theological approaches that primarily define women in relation to men.
Its 40-page report identifies five major areas of concern: patriarchal structures, abuse within Christian families, marriage and canon law, sexual education, and the different forms that families take around the world.
Women from all continents contributed to the report through listening sessions, which the council said reflected widespread concerns about structural exclusion within the Church.
On abuse, the CWC criticised what it described as an inconsistent response to clergy misconduct. It said generations of Catholic women and families had been affected by clergy abuse, alleged cover-ups and what it called an uneven commitment to justice for survivors.
The council said any renewed discussion of Amoris Laetitia should recognise the damage abuse causes to families and relationships of trust. It also called for clearer canonical safeguards to protect women from exploitation by priests and parish staff.
The report further questions aspects of canon law and pastoral practice that can leave women feeling pressured to remain in violent marriages. It warned that calls for reconciliation can cause further trauma when victims of abuse are encouraged to return to unsafe situations.
The CWC is calling for violence to be explicitly recognised as grounds for separation and annulment, along with access to independent legal advice for women dealing with abusive marriages.
On sexual education, the council criticised an approach it says places too much emphasis on virginity and abstinence as moral ideals. It argued that such teaching can undermine women’s autonomy and called instead for age-appropriate education based on scientific evidence and Christian values, including consent and respect for bodily integrity.
The report also urges the Church to condemn practices including virginity testing and female genital mutilation, describing them as serious violations of human rights.
The CWC also highlighted the variety of family circumstances found across Catholic communities, including single-parent households and women who face stigma and financial insecurity after losing their husbands.
It challenged what it described as a narrow understanding of family centred on heterosexual marriage, arguing that single mothers can lead “holy, sacrificial, and fully formed Catholic families”. The council called on priests and bishops to address discrimination against single women and widows and to remove what it described as a burden of shame.
In its conclusion, the CWC warned that failing to address patriarchal structures and abuse could undermine the Church’s Gospel witness and leave women and families exposed to harm.
It called for synodality to move from listening and discussion towards concrete action, including greater equality and protection from injustice and violence in liturgy, parish life and wider society.
The council said it hoped women’s experiences would influence Church decision-makers to ensure that women have an equal place within the Church, free from injustice, oppression and violence.
Based on reporting by Matters India.
