Yes.  There have been steps taken by Pope Francis that at least reduce the many ways in which women in the church (as religious and as faithful Catholics) have been silenced, ostracized, deliberately not looked at, kept behind a veil as surely as a woman in a full hijab.  Francis has opened the door a crack, just a bit, so that voices can be heard, somewhat, and allowed women to occupy some small spaces on the outer peripheries of Vatican life and power.  

But no women are really inside in a capacity to influence decisions.  Is what Pope Francis has done, cracking to door open a bit, the beginning of a larger change Pope Francis hopes to see?  Or, is this the meat-less bone thrown to the starving dog?  I no longer know.

I am grateful for what Pope Francis has done.  But, if these small, tiny steps are to lead anywhere, it is time for the next step.  And, it needs to be a larger step than has been seen so far.