Some conservatives registered disappointment, but gay Catholics hailed the new rule as a landmark moment for the church’s acceptance of L.G.B.T.Q. faithful.
It was a rare move that was a measure both of Bishop Joseph Strickland’s outspoken criticism of the supreme pontiff of his faith and of Francis’ frustration with ultraconservatives in the U.S.
She survived gruesome medical experimentation at the Ravensbrück concentration camp to become a psychiatrist — counseled by the priest who would become John Paul II.
Some women participating in a conference on sensitive church issues said they feel heartened by the discussions taking place, though change may remain slow.