Church Women Demand Equality, Confront Abuse Culture in Global Critique of Catholic Church

The Catholic Women’s Council (CWC), a global network of over 60 Catholic groups, has issued a critical report addressing systemic issues within the Church’s approach to family life, women’s dignity, and protection from abuse. The document, released on the eve of Pope Leo’s October 7–14 meeting with bishops, families, and theologians, coincides with the tenth anniversary of *Amoris Laetitia*. The CWC argues that the papal document continues to reflect an “androcentric, patriarchal framework” that marginalizes women’s voices and perpetuates inequality.

The 40-page synthesis outlines five key areas of concern: androcentric frameworks, abuse within Christian families, marriage and canon law, sexual education, and the diversity of family structures. Leaders from every continent contributed to the report through listening sessions, reflecting a widespread frustration with structural exclusion and the lack of meaningful inclusion of women in Church decision-making.

The report condemns the Church’s inconsistent response to clergy misconduct, noting that “generations of Catholic women and families have suffered from a widespread culture of clergy abuse, systematic cover-up, and an uneven commitment to survivor justice.” It emphasizes that abuse within the family and parish context fractures trust and cohesion, and calls for clear canonical guidelines to protect women from exploitation by priests and parish staff.

The CWC also challenges canon law provisions that pressure women to remain in violent marriages. It warns that pastoral practices encouraging reconciliation often re-traumatize victims, contradicting their inherent dignity and self-determination. The report demands explicit recognition of violence as grounds for separation and nullity, alongside free access to independent legal advice.

On sexual education, the council criticizes the Church’s reliance on virginity and abstinence as moral ideals, arguing that such teachings impair women’s autonomy. It calls for age-appropriate, fear-free education rooted in scientific evidence and Christian values, emphasizing consent and bodily integrity. The report also urges the Church to condemn practices such as virginity testing and female genital mutilation as grave human rights violations.

The CWC highlights the diversity of families worldwide, from single-parent households to widows facing stigma and economic insecurity. It challenges the Church’s tendency to define family narrowly as a heterosexual union, insisting that all family structures deserve recognition and support. The report underscores the need for a theology that reflects the fullness of human dignity and the call to love one’s neighbor as oneself, as described in Micah 6:8.

Source: Read the original report