“Women Are Better than Men!” — Pope Leo Signals Openness to Female Deacons

Between calling for women’s equality, saying the Church is examining women deacons, and lamenting Trump's fight with Canada, Pope Leo proved again he’s not afraid to surprise the world.

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Pope Leo XIV surprised many today with a series of off-the-cuff remarks during a Synod on Synodality gathering — Pope Francis’s signature project now carried on under Leo’s watch.

In a meeting expected to be routine, the introverted Leo instead made headlines with bold comments about women’s roles in the Church and even a jab at international politics.

For a pope once thought to be a cautious consensus-builder, these unscripted moments show a new willingness to speak his mind off the cuff.

A New Tone on Women’s Roles in the Church

First, Leo tackled a topic that has long simmered in Catholic discourse: the role of women in ministry.

He affirmed that the Church is actively studying the possibility of women deacons, signaling an openness to a change many Catholic women have awaited for decades.

He stressed that the Church must promote women’s equality and fully value women’s contributions.

In fact, Leo even joked that during the women’s liberation movement of the 1960s, his own mother used to say, “Women are better than men” — a lighthearted quip that drew laughter in the hall and echoed Pope Francis’s earlier praise of women’s courage.

Beneath the humor was a clear message: Leo wants a Church that gives women their due respect and opportunities for leadership.

For a leader initially seen as a traditionalist, these words mark a quietly revolutionary tone on women’s empowerment within Catholicism.

Engaging with Worldly Affairs

Leo didn’t stop at internal Church matters. He also waded into geopolitics, commenting — once again — on American political affairs.

Just weeks ago, he made a rare foray into U.S. politics by criticizing the “concerning” combative rhetoric of President Trump’s administration.

Now, Leo has turned his gaze to North American relations, lamenting Trump’s decision to harm the U.S.-Canada relationship. It’s striking to hear a pope mourn how two friendly nations have grown apart, and he urged healing of the rift.

Leo didn’t stop there. He praised the late Pope Francis’s project on synodality and also lamented the plague of climate change.

Finally, in a message that’s likely to irk some conservatives, Leo praised non-Christian religious traditions in Asia for teaching Catholics different aspects of the divine.

This increasing willingness to engage in worldly affairs shows that Leo XIV is growing more confident on the global stage.

The first American pope is clearly unafraid to address political and social issues when they touch on moral concerns — whether it’s immigration and human dignity or the importance of international friendship.

Many observers expected a quiet, low-profile pontificate from Leo XIV. Indeed, early on, there were thoughts that the new pope was deliberately trying not to make waves or headlines.

But as his pontificate progresses, the quiet pope is producing plenty of headlines.

Leo seems less afraid of his own shadow with each passing month, unafraid to speak from the heart on controversial topics.

As someone who cherishes a vibrant, engaged Church, I am glad to see Pope Leo stepping forward in this way. His frank support for women’s equality and his candid comments on world affairs show a pastor emerging from any lingering shadows.

The once soft-spoken successor of Francis is proving that a gentle voice can still say bold things — and that this ostensibly quiet pope has a lot to say, after all.

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