Pope Francis — "A priest who is a saint told me: 'Women are the ones who move history forward.'"
A priest who is a saint told me: 'Women are the ones who move history forward.'
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About Pope Francis (born 1936)
First Latin American and Jesuit pope (2013-), who has steered the Catholic Church toward pastoral inclusion on LGBTQ pastoral care, divorced Catholics, and climate. Closely associated with Pope John XXIII (the Vatican II reformer pope) and Cardinal Walter Kasper (his theological ally on pastoral reform). For an intellectual contrast, see Cardinal Raymond Burke, American traditionalist cardinal, former head of the Vatican Apostolic Signatura — Burke is the public face of Catholic traditionalism that views Francis's pastoral approach as doctrinally dangerous — he has formally challenged Amoris Laetitia and other Francis reforms.
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Understanding this quote
What it means
This quote relays wisdom passed down from a holy mentor: women are not merely participants in history but its primary movers. It challenges the assumption that power and historical agency belong to those with formal authority. Instead, it locates civilization's real momentum in women's roles as caregivers, educators, moral anchors, and quiet revolutionaries whose influence shapes generations without always receiving credit or recognition.
Relevance to Pope Francis
Jorge Bergoglio was shaped by strong Argentine women, especially his grandmother Rosa, whose faith formed his own. As pope, he appointed women to senior Vatican positions previously closed to them and repeatedly challenged clericalism's exclusion of women. By attributing this idea to a saintly priest rather than claiming it himself, Francis models the humility he preaches while using male clerical authority to amplify rather than overshadow women's dignity.
The era
Francis became pope in 2013 as #MeToo, women's marches, and debates over female leadership in religion collided globally. The Church faced mounting pressure over women's ordination and institutional sexism. Simultaneously, women led major democracies, drove climate activism, and dominated Nobel recognition. His repeated affirmations of women's historical agency carried unusual weight precisely because they came from the head of one of history's most male-hierarchical institutions.
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