Pope Francis’ wish to see more female leaders in the Church has led to several conferences, including one recently in Rome, attended by leading theologians, a cardinal and four ambassadors, that gave participants particular cause for optimism during the Council of Nicaea, I remember reading somewhere, you could not go to the local bread shop without entering into a debate about the Trinity. It is beginning to feel like that with regard to the role of women in the Church.The last few months have seen a sudden flurry of activity, the latest event being a one-day conference that was held on 28 April at the Pontifical University Antonianum in Rome, entitled “Women in the Church: Prospects for Dialogue”. The conference was the initiative of the new rector of the Antonianum,