Vatican includes group backing women’s ordination on website

By NICOLE WINFIELD
Associated Press

ROME (AP) — The Vatican has included a group that advocates for women’s ordination on a website promoting a two-year consultation of rank-and-file Catholics. The inclusion of the Women’s Ordination Conference on the website promoting the Vatican’s 2023 “synod,” or bishops’ meeting, is significant since the Vatican has long held the group at arm’s length. Catholic doctrine forbids the ordination of women as priests. In the run-up to the synod, the Vatican has asked dioceses, religious orders and other Catholic groups to embark on listening sessions. The Women’s Ordination Conference launched campaign to do that. Last year, the Vatican office made headlines after it removed and then restored a link to an advocacy group for the Catholic LGBTQ community.