This course is offered in collaboration with four other Pontifical Universities in Rome with the purpose of providing a formative response to the Holy Father’s call to promote more effective collaboration between men and women in ecclesial spaces.

The Joint Diploma in “Women and the Church: Women and Men in a Synodal Community” is a shared initiative between the Institute of Higher Studies on Women of the Pontifical Athenaeum Regina Apostolorum (academic center of the Legionaries of Christ, member of the International Network of Regnum Christi Universities), the Pontifical Urban University, the Pontifical Salesian University, the Pontifical University of Saint Thomas Aquinas, the Pontifical Faculty of Educational Sciences Auxilium, the Claretian Theology Institute, the Pontifical University of the Holy Cross, and the Pontifical Theological Faculty Teresianum.

The course deepens the specific contribution of women in the life and mission of the Church, to activate processes of mutual collaboration between women and men in ecclesial spaces. This reflection is linked to the issue of lay faithful, raised especially by the Second Vatican Council and still not fully realized. Alongside numerous examples of fruitful collaboration between men and women in the life and mission of the Church, there are also cultural and other barriers that obscure their reciprocity and effective cooperation. Furthermore, the Church is convinced of the need to include women’s contributions in decision-making processes. The path must begin with a renewed understanding of the dignity of baptismal priesthood, avoiding the clericalization of laypeople in general and women in particular. Additionally, the Church needs to discover its feminine and maternal face to fully live out its vocation. The horizon of this reflection is that of a Church that must undertake a journey of conversion to synodality. What is the role of women in this context?

Who is it for

The course is aimed at priests, religious men and women, and laypeople (men and women) active in the ecclesial sphere at various levels, who wish to deepen their understanding of collaboration between men and women in the Church. The admission requirement is to hold a degree or licentiate.

All the information at the following link:
Joint Diploma in Women and the Church – APRA (upra.org)