General Intention of the Holy Father

(February 28, 2009) Now we have Holy Father’s general Intention for the Month of March: That all nations of our world may grow in appreciation of the dignity and value of women and their roles in Society.Pope Benedict XVI asks us to pray that the world may grow in appreciation of the dignity of women. The Book of Genesis says that God created man in his image; in the divine image he created him; male and female he created them. The church teaches us that men and women are equal in dignity, both expressing the dignity of God. Sadly in the world both are often subjected to humiliation. Women receive a disproportionate share of humiliation. They are abused physically, economically, educationally, psychologically and socially. Disrespect for women runs deep and long through many cultures all over the world. Just as the church opposes racism it opposes sexism. It wants us all to be aware of the prevailing disrespect for women and to pray, speak act to end it. However, when the church proclaims the equal dignity, it does not mean that both are same. Each gender expresses the goodness of God in different ways and each occupies different roles in Society. Earlier even the well meaning Christian believed that a lay woman’s only role is that of a home maker. We are all aware that women have talents and gifts in many other things. However, it is a mistake to think that women achieve equality when they do exactly as men do. Women and men compliment each other in expressing different aspects of the image of God and so also they compliment each other in their roles in society. The Holy Father wants us to specially for the women in the world, that their dignity may be protected and that all may recognise their traits such as their tendency toward holiness, cultural sensitivity and caring hearts and hands.