As Pope Francis’ papacy comes to its end, debates intensify over the future of women’s roles in the Catholic Church. Francis made symbolic and structural strides by appointing women to high-ranking Vatican roles and allowing them to vote in synods, yet he upheld the Church’s ban on female ordination. His newly elected successor, Robert Prevost (Leo XIV), appears to share this stance, arguing that ordaining women could create new issues rather than resolving existing ones. While both leaders emphasize women’s contributions to Church life, the core question of priesthood remains untouched, leaving advocates for gender equality within the Church watching the next papal transition closely.