Pope Francis enacted a new law Monday for the Catholic Church that allows women to perform more duties during Mass.

The new rule allows women to serve on the alter as Eucharistic ministers and to read Scripture. However, women still can't become priests.

Phyllis Zagano, a professor of religion at Hofstra University, says becoming equal in the eyes of God is an important step.

"For the pope to say we all have equal baptism and we're all equal in the eyes of God is a very important step," says Zagano. "Not so much towards ordaining women as deacons or even ordaining women as priests but towards affirming to the world that the church says women are made in the image and likeness of God, that to me is the takeaway from this."

Teri Martines, of Rockville Centre, says this is a good thing because the nuns don't have a leadership role.

"I think that the women may be looking for more equality because the nuns really outside of teaching or nursing they really don't have leadership in the church," says Martines.

Martines says she would like to see women be ordained priests as well someday.

Pope Francis says the change highlights the contributions women have been making to the Catholic Church.