CLEARLY authors of pastoral vernacular literature recognized their responsibility to women. They understood that “Christ's people’ included both men and women; they perceived the women they served in a somewhat realistic light; and, as this final chapter demonstrates, they attempted to offer women proper pastoral care. At the same time, female parishioners presented priests with unique challenges that complicated the pastoral care process.

John Mirk's Instructions for Parish Priests illustrates these points well. First, it recognizes women as ordinary parishioners who required ordinary pastoral care. Twice Mirk stressed that priests should impress upon both men and women the need for confession. In the introduction, he wrote:

Later, under a section entitled De modo audiendi confessionem, Mirk reiterated that priests must be prepared to care for male and female penitents.

Second, Mirk encouraged priests to exercise special caution with women, because of their sexuality. He warned priests about fraternizing with questionable women.