"Therese Koturbash, a lawyer in Dauphin and the Canadian representative to Roman Catholic organization Women’s Ordination Worldwide (WOW) — an organization dedicated to seeing women be able to become priests in the Roman Catholic Church.
For Koturbash, a member of St. Viator’s Parish, the change is more than a minor adjustment; it officially affirms women in the church can "stand shoulder to shoulder with lay men as ministers of communion and lectors at mass and girls can be altar servers," she said.
It also means local Archbishops and priests who don’t want women to serve in these ways can no longer refer to canon law in excluding them.
Although the Pope has made it clear he is not considering allowing women to become priests, Koturbash sees the change to canon law about lectors and acolytes as an opening to ending the male-only priesthood.
"I think it signals the Pope sees women as equal partners in ministry with men," she said of her hope for future change.
Right now, she sees it as part of the slow chipping away at the wall that has excluded women in the Church over the centuries — and an encouragement to keep pushing for full equality of women in all ministries of the Roman Catholic Church.
"I have a lot of passion for this issue," she said of her 20 years of involvement with WOW. "I see it as a justice issue. My ultimate goal is equality of women in the church, the inclusion of women in all realms including the priesthood."
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