VATICAN - “The history of Christianity would have developed very differently if it were not for the generous contribution of many women”: Pope Benedict XVI’s teaching at the General Audience

Thursday, 15 February 2007

Vatican City (Agenzia Fides) - After meeting in St Peter’s Basilica the Bishops and Catholic laity from the dioceses of the Marche region of Italy Pope Benedict XVI went to address visitors from all over the world gathered in the Paul VI Audience Hall. The Pope based his teaching on "women at the service of the Gospel” dwelling on “many female figures who played an effective and valuable role to spread the Gospel. Their testimony cannot be forgotten…the Lord wishes for these witnesses to the Gospel, these figures who helped to spread faith in Him, to be acknowledged and their memory to be kept in the Church” the Pope said.
Speaking of the role of women in early Christian times in two distinct stages, during the earthly life of Jesus and in the vicissitudes of the first Christian generation, the Pope said “besides the Twelve, the pillars of the Church and fathers of the new People of God, other disciples were chosen, many of whom were women”. The Pope mentioned the prophetess Anna, the Samaritan woman, the Syro-Phoenician woman, the woman suffering from a haemorrhage, the sinful woman whom Jesus forgives, figures of women in certain parables … “More significant for our subject are women who played an active part in the framework of Jesus’ mission- the Pope explained -. First of all our thoughts go naturally to the Blessed Virgin Mary who with her faith and maternal role collaborated in a unique way in our Redemption… Various other women gravitate around the figure of Jesus for different reasons with functions of responsibility. Eloquent examples are those women who followed Jesus to assist him with what they possessed and whose names are handed on to us by Luke: Mary Magdalene, Joanna, Susanna and ‘many others. The Gospel also tell us that, unlike the Twelve, the women do not abandon Jesus in the hour of his passion. Among them Mary Magdalene not only present at the Passion but also first witness and announcer of the Risen Lord”.
St Paul the Apostle considers it normal in the Christian community for women to “speak openly, inspired by the Spirit as long as they do it in a dignified manner and for the edification of the community. Therefore the successive, well known, recommendation that ‘women be silent at assemblies’ needs to be relativised”. The Pope recalled Prisca or Priscilla and her husband Aquila, the married couple who helped St Paul with the work of evangelisation, then the Letter to Philemon, which “in fact Paul addresses also to a woman named ‘Apphia’… in the community of the Colossians where she held an important position”. In another place the Apostle mentions a certain ‘Phoebe’, who had a role of responsibility in the Christian community at Cencre, and he mentions the names of other women: a certain Maria, then Triphena, Triphosa and Persis, and also Julia, underlining their zealous ecclesial commitment. In the Church in Philippi two women Evodia and Sìntiche were distinguished.”
“The history of Christianity would have developed much differently if it were not for the generous contribution made by so many women.” the Holy Father said. After recalling the admiration and gratitude expressed to women by John Paul II in his apostolic letter Mulieris dignitatem, Pope Benedict XVI concluded: “We join his appreciation thanking the Lord for leading his Church from generation to generation, relying on men and women indistinctly who made their faith and their baptism bear fruit for the good of the entire Body of the Church and for the greater glory of God.” (S.L.) (Agenzia Fides 15/2/2007 - righe 44, parole 632)


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