Interfaith Group

Mulieris Dignitatem -- "The Dignity of Women". This has statements such as "both man and woman are human beings to an equal degree, both are created in God's image" and "The biblical text (ie, Genesis 2) provides sufficient bases for recognizing the essential equality of man and woman" and so on. However, JPII is also the author of Ordinatio Sacerdotalis -- "Priestly Ordination". This can be summed up as "Women cannot be ordained because I say so. Now everyone is to shut up on this subject."

However, in the Vatican hierarchy, there is exactly one woman in a significant position, Sister Enrica Rosanna, who is under-secretary of the Congregation for Institutes of Consecrated Life. All senior Vatican officials must be ordained, and thus can only be men.