Francis, in the prayer intention video for April, asks us to pray for the respect and dignity of women in society, “in all cultures, and for the discrimination they suffer in different parts of the world to cease.” The Pope urges practical action of governments to commit themselves “to eliminate discriminatory laws in different environments and to work so that women’s human rights are guaranteed”.
Listen to the report with the Pope’s voice and share
Andressa Collet – Vatican News
“In many parts of the world, women are treated as the first waste material.”
The Pope once again dedicates the monthly prayer intention to women. In the Pontiff’s April video, entrusted to the Pope’s Worldwide Prayer Network, Francis insists on the steps that today’s society must take and asks Christians to join him in prayer for the recognition of the dignity of women in all cultures and for the end of discrimination in various parts of the world:
“There are countries where women are prohibited from getting help to organize a business or go to school. In these places, laws are even tolerated that force them to dress in a certain way. And mutilations are still in use in many countries genitals. Let us not deny women their voice. Let us not deny the voice of all these abused women. They are exploited, they are marginalized.”
An Asian woman with tears in her eyes, another behind a fence with a sad look, a group of victims of abuse, expelled from their villages, a line of teenagers waiting for genital mutilation: the video that accompanies the prayer intention of the Pope brings strong images, in line with the Pontiff’s denunciation. His message recalls the great distance between declarations of principle and the reality of facts:
“In words, we all agree that men and women have the same dignity as people. But in practice, this does not happen. It is necessary for governments to commit to eliminating discriminatory laws in different environments and to work so that rights human rights of women are guaranteed.”
In today’s world, unfortunately, there is no shortage of contradictions. Even though in some countries women have access to education and job opportunities and occupy leadership positions in companies and organizations, many still do not enjoy the same opportunities as men. Just think in the job market: less than one of every two women in the world works, and women earn 23% less than men. The same happens with education, if we take into account that In some countries, adult women who know how to read and write are a minority: for example, in Afghanistan it is 23%, in Niger, 27%. And fewer opportunities translate into enormous economic difficulties: according to UN Women, it is estimated that by 2030, 8% of women and girls will live in extreme poverty, while 25% of women will not have enough food.
Man and woman, the same dignity
Respect for the dignity of all people is a central theme in Christianity. For each person’s life is sacred, for being created in the image of God (cf. Book of Genesis 1, 26-27).
The theme of the role of women also resonated in the summary of the XVI Ordinary General Assembly of the Synod of Bishops held in October 2023. “We were created male and female, in the image and likeness of God. From the beginning, creation articulates unity and difference, giving man and woman a shared nature, a vocation and destiny and two distinct human experiences. During the Assembly, we experienced the beauty of reciprocity between women and men. Together, we launched the appeal of the previous phases of the synodal process, and asked the Church to increase its commitment to understanding and accompanying women, from a pastoral and sacramental point of view”, expressed the Synod participants, in the final document.
The Pope, therefore, calls for action from governments and, for us, to respect women, who unfortunately continue to be treated “like waste material” in many parts of the world and, often, even in countries that claim to be more advanced, , are victims of violence and abuse:
“Let us respect women. Let us respect them in their dignity, in their fundamental rights. And if we don’t, our society will not move forward. Let us pray that the dignity and wealth of women will be recognized in all cultures, and that the discrimination they suffer in different parts of the world will cease.”
Heroines of all time
O Father Frédéric Fornos, International Director of the Pope’s Worldwide Prayer Network, recalls that “from the beginning, Jesus welcomed women as disciples, which was a novelty in society at that time. Mary, the Mother of Jesus, had a prominent place among the Apostles and in the primitive community, as reported in the gospels. To a woman, Mary Magdalene, Jesus entrusted the mission of announcing his resurrection to his brothers. Throughout history, women have brought true spiritual dynamism to the Church: Teresa of Ávila, Catherine of Siena, Teresa of Lisieux, recognized as ‘doctors of the Church’, and an infinite number of saints. Bearing in mind that the Pope calls us this month to pray “so that the dignity and wealth of women are recognized in all cultures, and so that the discrimination they suffer in different parts of the world ceases”, Let us also continue to recognize the role of women within the Church. An important observation: without the active participation of women, the Christian community, if it were a company, would be broken.”
