Holy Father Pope Francis has changed some laws of the Catholic Church and allowed women to serve at Mass as readers and distributors of communion but has not permitted them to become priests. The laws will be amended so that women can read the Gospel and serve on the altar as Echaristic ministers.It may be noted here that Conservative bishops have blocked women even from performing such roles. Pope Francis was under pressure to permit women to be deacons- to perform the same functions as priests such as presiding at weddings, baptisms and funerals. Currently, this ministry is reserved for men.
The new formulation of the canon said ”Lay persons who possess the age and qualifications established by decree of the conference of bishops can be admitted on a stable basis through the prescribed liturgical rite to the ministries of lector and acolyte.”
The decree from the Vatican noted that the roles of lector and acolyte were fundamentally different from allowing women to be ordained as priests.and reiterated that women cannot be priests.
