Pope Francis on Wednesday approved changes to the laws governing the Synod of Bishops — a body established more than 50 years ago to coordinate periodic meetings of the world's bishops.

Until now, only men could vote on proposals presented at the synod. Under the new changes, women can not only attend the synods as auditors, but also cast a vote at the papal advisory body.

Five religious sisters will join five priests as voting representatives on the next meeting in October in Rome.

"This is a significant crack in the stained glass ceiling," said Kate McElwee of the Women's Ordination Conference, which advocates for women priests.

The pope has also decided that 70 non-bishop members "who represent various groupings of the faithful of the People of God" will be appointed as members of the synod. Half of them will be women, and they will also have the right to vote.

"It's an important change, it's not a revolution," said Cardinal Jean-Claude Hollerich, a top organizer of the synod.

Women's right to vote

Catholic women's groups have long campaigned for the the right to vote at synods and have criticized the Vatican for not treating women as equal members of the synod.

In 2020, women's rights activists in Germany presented a petition with over 130,000 signatures calling for more women in leadership roles in front of the governing body of the Catholic Church in Germany.

Under the new norms, the 70 non-bishop members would be picked by Pope Francis not only based on "their general culture and prudence, but also of their knowledge, both theoretical and practical".

Although the majority of the voting representatives at the October synod will still be bishops, around 20% will be non-bishops, half of that group women, said Cardinal Mario Grech, who is in charge of the synod.

The new rules come after two major milestones for women's rights in the Vatican. 

In 2021 the Pope named a woman to the number two position in the governorship of Vatican City for the first time.

Last year, under a new reform of the Holy See's central administration, Francis allowed any baptized lay Catholic, including women, to head most Vatican departments.

vh/jcg (AFP, AP, Reuters)