In St. Peter's Square Francis started off with the
evangelical story of the resurrection to promote the “primary and
fundamental” role of women in the early Church and today's Church.”
John
Paul II had spoken about the female brain and Benedict XVI poured
praise on female figures such as Hildegard of Bingen, Dorothy Day and
Etty Hillesumon, on more than one occasion.
Pope Francis appeared to be
taking a step forward by washing the feet of two young female offenders
during his recent visit to the Casal del Marmo prison in Rome.
But any
kind of majorly revolutionary move from the Pope, such as conceding the
priesthood to women, seems unlikely.
The Pope's emphasis on the role of women in the Church
could mean that the Church is going to pay systematically greater
attention to the female question.
A theologian who is close to the new
Pope, German cardinal, Walter Kasper, recently asked himself: “Can't
today's Church do something similar to what it did back in the 3rd-4th
century when it created a sort of sui generis ministry with female
deacons to baptise adult women? Given today's challenges, couldn't it
establish a ministry for women (not the diaconate) but a body with an
independent profile, as it did in the past?”
The German Episcopal Conference has expressed its
commitment “to promoting the role of women further, respecting their
responsibility, entrusted to all Christians for the life of the Church”
and “increasing the number of women in positions of responsibility.”
The
Archbishop of Milan, Angelo Scola, underlined that Francis' focus on
the role of women “is hugely important.”
But while Rome appears to be
opening up to the gentler sex, Moscow remains closed to to it.
The
Patriarch of Moscow and All Russias, Kirill, warns against the “danger”
of feminism, condemning the existence of a propaganda which encourages
women to take on roles that jeopardise their household and family
duties.
“I believe that this phenomenon, feminism as it is
called, is very dangerous,” Kirill said in a speech to an organisation
of Ukrainian Orthodox women, the content of which is published on the
official website of the Russian Orthodox Church.
“Feminist organisations
proclaim a pseudo-freedom for women, which must be manifested outside
of marriage and the family,” Kirill said, adding that “it is the man's
job to take care of things outside the home; he must work and earn,
while the woman's place is inside the home, looking after the family.”
“If this incredibly important role the woman has is broken, then
everything else will collapse along with it: family and, in a broader
sense, the country,” he added.
Nevertheless, Kirill did say he was in
favour of women pursuing careers, as long as they got their priorities
straight, fulfilling their duties as wives and mothers.
The Patriarch’s statements came in light of the latest
protest staged by feminist group Femen, which focused its attack on
Russian President Vladimir Putin, who is currently attending the
Hannover Messe show.
Topless Femen members turned up at the fair
shouting “Fuck the dictator”, provoking a half ironic, half scornful
reaction from the Kremlin's leader.
The Russian Orthodox Patriarch was
also one of the major critics of the Pussy Riot, the punk feminist
group, whose anti-Putin performance in Moscow Cathedral led to one of
its members being sentenced to two years in a labour camp.
So the Pope
and the Patriarch are divided over the issue of women.
Rome is
supporting them, while Moscow is condemning feminism.