Pope Francis grants women voting rights at bishops' meeting.
Pope Francis has approved guidelines that will allow women to participate and vote for the first time at an upcoming meeting of Catholic bishops in October. The changes allow for the participation of 70 non-bishop members, of whom 50% should be women. The US-based Women’s Ordination Conference welcomed the development, calling it a "significant crack in the stained glass ceiling." The theme of the October Synod is "Synodality" which will look at the involvement of lay people in the governance of the church among other topics.