Saturday, March 28, 2009

Pope Benedict Timely Address to All Women with His Address in Africa

From Pope Benedict XVI's  MEETING WITH CATHOLIC MOVEMENTS FOR THE PROMOTION OF WOMEN

Man and woman are both called to live in profound communion through a reciprocal recognition of one another and the mutual gift of themselves, working together for the common good through the complementary aspects of masculinity and femininity. Who today can fail to recognize the need to make more room for the "reasons of the heart"? In a world like ours, dominated by technology, we feel the need for this feminine complementarity, so that the human race can live in the world without completely losing its humanity. Think of all the places afflicted by great poverty or devastated by war, and of all the tragic situations resulting from migrations, forced or otherwise. It is almost always women who manage to preserve human dignity, to defend the family and to protect cultural and religious values.
Here, the Holy Father presents both the contribution of and the challenge to women to use the gifts of the feminine genius in our wounded culture. With whatever gifts we possess, they are constantly needed to represent the fact that all are made in the image and likeness of God, no matter what the situation presents. The Holy Father introduces the talk by recalling the action of the Blessed Mother at the Marriage Feast of Cana imploring the help of her Son for the needs of the wedding host. Women must follow this example and continue to implore help for the needs of others, for the state of their souls and the souls of the wider culture.

The Pope goes on to remind us why we must support the structure of the family as it was designed by God:

Moreover, a woman's personal sense of dignity is not primarily the result of juridically defined rights, but rather the direct consequence of the material and spiritual care she receives in the bosom of the family. The presence of a mother within the family is so important for the stability and growth of this fundamental cell of society, that it should be recognized, commended and supported in every possible way. For the same reason, society must hold husbands and fathers accountable for their responsibilities towards their families.
Posted by: Kathleen O'Connell-Sundaram

March 28,2008

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