The current role of women in society and the Church: a future with hope

The recent death of Pope Francis invites us to pause and reflect on the changes his pontificate inspired and the paths we still have to build. At the farewell Mass organized by the Apostolic Vicariate of Aysén, Chile, Margarita Estévez Ramos , founder of the Dracma Foundation , gave a heartfelt speech in which she reflected on and elaborated on one of Francis's greatest concerns: the recognition and promotion of the role of women in the Church and in today's society .

Las Iglesias del mundo realizaron misas de despedida al Papa Francisco

Throughout his pontificate, Pope Francis was clear and courageous in his words:

"The Church recognizes the wise contribution of women to society through their sensitivity, intuition and unique abilities" (Francis, Evangelii Gaudium , 2013).

Furthermore, he did not hesitate to point out that

"Women in the Church are more important than bishops and priests" (Interview in Il Messaggero , 2014), recognizing a dignity and leadership that had historically been made invisible in many ecclesiastical structures.

In her speech, Margarita Estévez Ramos recalled how Francis promoted significant changes in the Vatican's institutional architecture, opening up leadership positions that, for centuries, had been reserved solely for men.

These gestures were not, as he himself emphasized, an attempt to modernize in the face of new social norms, but rather a profound response to the recognition of women's capabilities and irreplaceable contributions in all spheres of ecclesial and social life.

Today , thanks to these changes, the presence of women in decision-making positions in the Church is beginning to become normalized. Breaks are opening up in historically masculine structures, and with them, new modes of dialogue, discernment, and community building.

Margarita Estévez, our founder, emphasized in her speech that these transformations not only look within the Church, but reflect a broader movement: the desire for a society where women and men can develop on equal terms .

As an institution whose mission is to promote and empower women in diverse workplaces, we want to firmly emphasize that this task begins with the education of girls and boys , teaching them from an early age that talents, leadership skills, and sensitivity are human gifts, not assigned by gender.

The challenges persist. Cultural, institutional, and social resistance still exists that hinders women's full participation, especially in decision-making. However, as Pope Francis pointed out at various times in his life, "transforming structures is not a matter of speed, but of depth."

We embrace the hope conveyed by the recently deceased Supreme Pontiff. An active hope, one that is not satisfied with small symbolic gestures, but rather commits to a real transformation, one that builds a Church and a society where female leadership is not an exception, but a natural part of community life.

The death of Pope Francis leaves us with a legacy: belief in the transformative power of sensitivity, in the strength of dialogue, and in the importance of walking together—men and women—toward a more just, more humane, and more integrated future.

📌 Through these articles, we follow the current process of the Catholic Church, the foundation of our spirit and vision.