And what about the role of women in the church?

The pope has made reference to this issue on several occasions.

He took up the matter during the return trip from Rio de Janeiro, claiming that the church still lacks a profound theology of women. I ask:

“What should be the role of women in the church? How do we make their role more visible today?”

He answers: “I am wary of a solution that can be reduced to a kind of ‘female machismo,’ because a woman has a different make-up than

a man. But what I hear about the role of women is often inspired by an ideology of machismo. Women are asking deep questions that must

be addressed. The church cannot be herself without the woman and her role. The woman is essential for the church. Mary, a woman, is more

important than the bishops. I say this because we must not confuse the function with the dignity. We must therefore investigate further the role

of women in the church. We have to work harder to develop a profound theology of the woman. Only by making this step will it be possible to

better reflect on their function within the church. The feminine genius is needed wherever we make important decisions. The challenge today

is this: to think about the specific place of women also in those places where the authority of the church is exercised for various areas of the church.

” 
(Interview with Pater Antonio Spadaro Aug. 2013)