Pope Francis faced strong criticism from Belgium's UCLouvain University after his recent comments on the role of women in society. Shortly after his speech at the university, which he visited as part of its 600th-anniversary celebration, professors and students expressed their "incomprehension and disapproval" of the pontiff's stance on women's roles.
In their statement, UCLouvain condemned the pope's views as "conservative," calling them "deterministic and reductive." This rare public disagreement from a Catholic institution came after Pope Francis responded to a letter questioning the Church's historic treatment of women. In his reply, Francis emphasized the Church as female, referring to it as a motherly figure. However, he offered no concrete plans for reform, leaving students and faculty unsatisfied.
Valentine Hendrix, a student at the university, voiced her disappointment, saying, "He reduces us to childbearing roles, which we want to move beyond." Others echoed this sentiment, criticizing the pope for not addressing the broader issues of equality within the Church.
During his trip to Belgium, the pope also faced calls to address clerical abuse and take further steps toward including women in leadership roles within the Church. Despite some reforms under his leadership, such as allowing women to vote at key meetings, many feel more significant changes are still needed.
Pope Francis' visit to Belgium has been marked by both the celebration of the university's anniversary and discussions on the Church's response to ongoing issues of gender roles and abuse within its institutions.
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