Praised for his efforts, the head of the national umbrella body for Catholic Charities agencies has described the expansion of women’s leadership options in the Catholic Church as “a matter of managerial and moral urgency.”
Kerry Alys Robinson, the president and CEO of Catholic Charities USA, expressed her gratitude that women were given more opportunities to participate in the decision-making processes of the global faith during the pope’s month-long summit on the future of the church in October.
In an interview with National Catholic Reporter on December 14, Robinson remarked, “It is so gratifying to know that this is a shared and universal concern,” alluding to the discussions at the Synod of Bishops from October 4-29.
Robinson said she has fought “for the role of women in positions of meaningful leadership and at the tables of decision-making all of my life.” Robinson is the first layperson to lead her organization, which represents around 170 Catholic Charities institutions across the United States.
“Particularly, when it comes to the church and church leadership and church decision-making, we are impoverished without the contribution of so many well-educated, theologically astute, [and] pastorally sensitive women,” she stated.
This August, Robinson—a well-known figure in Catholic leadership and philanthropy—began her employment at Catholic Charities. Prior to this, she worked as an executive partner with Leadership Roundtable, a nonprofit that advocates for effective church management techniques.
As a guest on “The Vatican Briefing” podcast, Robinson spoke with NCR. In answer to a query concerning the synod’s final document’s assertion that it was “urgent to ensure that women can participate in decision-making processes and assume roles of responsibility in pastoral care and ministry,” she spoke about the place of women in the church.
In her words, the head of Catholic Charities believes it’s critical that young women “are given opportunities to bring their full complement of skills and abilities to serve the church when they discern a vocation of service to that church.”
Robinson also made a poignant speech regarding the vital work that charitable organizations do throughout the holidays.
“What I have learned is that generosity is humankind’s birthright, and that we are all called to be generous and to be catalysts to inspire generosity in others,” she stated. “And there’s no better season than the season of Advent to exercise that generosity.”
