Women’s rights and dignity - Pope’s general prayer intention for March

February 28, 2014 - And now before the news, here’s a brief comment on the Pope’s general prayer intention for the month of March - that all cultures may respect the rights and dignity of women. At the end of the Second Vatican Council, the bishops published a message for women, as well as for other groups. The bishops recognized that women have an essential and unique role in nurturing human life and civilization. Since then Popes have issued documents and spoken on the dignity and importance of the feminine genius both for society and the Church. Yet exploitation of every kind, including sexual, even in the family, is inflicting a heavy toll on women’s dignity. Pope Francis also spoke of the valuable and beautiful contributions women make to society. In his first encyclical, Evangelii Gaudium Pope Francis wrote: “The Church acknowledges the indispensable contribution which women make to society through the sensitivity, intuition, and other distinctive skill sets which they, more than men, tend to possess.” As a result, he said, “In the cultural crisis of our time, woman finds herself on the front line in the battle for safeguarding what is human.” Let us join the Pope and others throughout the world during the month of March in praying that people everywhere may respect the rights and dignity of women. Let us particularly pray that women may be strong in the battles against the cultures of death.