La incorporación de las mujeres a la organización de la Iglesia: un proceso abierto

Abstract

The intellectual and professional formation of women today, equivalent to that of men, has meant that women are no longer content with a secondary role, but demand equal opportunities and recognition within the Church. As a result, the Church of the 21st century is facing the challenge of incorporating women into the ecclesiastical organization. However, the fact that throughout history women have been absent in this type of position renders their place not unclear. In fact, the incorporation of women into decision-making positions in the Church raises juridical questions. In this paper, we propose a reflection on the power of government, as understood in the law of the Church. For this purpose, it will be useful to take a look at the historical development of the problem, as well as to enter into the doctrinal discussion on whether it is necessary to be a priest to occupy positions of responsibility or whether they can also be entrusted to lay people. On the other hand, we will highlight how, while canonical doctrine works to explain to what extent and in what way the laity can participate in the power of government, in the pontificate of Francis there are frequent appointments of women to positions of relevance, so that ecclesial life itself is offering us the answers.