Yesterday, Sr Mary T Barron shared her thoughts after a key Synod briefing, focusing on the role of women in the Synodal process. She spoke with clarity about the reality: there are fewer women around the tables. But her focus was not on what is lacking; instead, she drew attention to what is happening.
“We are being listened to,” she said simply. There is no need to embellish this moment or overlook its meaning. Women may be fewer in number, but they are not silent. Sr Mary highlighted how women are taking on essential roles as secretaries and reporters, roles that ensure their voices aren’t just present, but are woven into the fabric of the Synod’s ongoing conversation. “We are all very capable of expressing what we need to express,” she added, underscoring the confidence and clarity with which women are participating.
Her words carry a sense of presence, of being in the moment. The call for greater representation remains, but Sr Mary grounded us in what is real now: the women who are there, are meant to be there. “God has called us to this today,” she said, inviting us to see this gathering not just as a task but as a response to something deeper.
Sr Mary doesn’t offer predictions or promises of what might come next, or what still needs to change. Instead, she points to the journey itself. “We are on a journey,” she said, and as we move forward, there is hope that more women will take their place around the table. But today, this is where we are—and that, too, is meaningful. “We feel that our voice has been heard.”
Her words are a reminder of the steady, often unseen work of being part of something larger. There is no rush to define the outcome. Instead, there’s an invitation to be present, to trust in the process, and to recognise that each voice contributes to shaping the whole.
You can listen to Sr Mary’s full message in the video below, where she speaks with deep conviction about the role of women in this evolving conversation.