Pope Francis: central role of women interfaith
dialogue
(Vatican Radio) Pope Francis met on Friday with participants
in the plenary assembly of the Pontifical Council for Interreligious Dialogue,
who have been discussing the key contribution of women to interfaith relations.
The Pope began by noting how often women’s work and dignity
is threatened by violence and hatred which tears families and societies apart.
Faced with the challenges of our globalized world, he said,
there is a vital need to recognize the abilities of women to teach values of
unity and fraternity which can transform the human family.
It is therefore to the benefit of society that women have a
growing presence in social, political and economic life - as well as in the
life of the Church - at national and international level, the Pope said.
Women’s rights, he insisted, must be affirmed and protected, including, if
necessary, through legal means.
In their role as educators in the family and beyond, the
Pope continued, women have a particular vocation to foster innovative ways of
welcoming and respecting others. Whether or not they are mothers, the contribution
of women in the field of education is invaluable, he said.
Women and men, Pope Francis said, through their different
roles and intuitions, are both called to the task of teaching fraternity and
peace. Women, who are so intimately connected to the mystery of life, can
contribute much through their care of life and their conviction that love is
the only power able to make the world more habitable for each one of us.
Women, the Pope noted, are often the only ones to be found
accompanying others, especially the weakest members of families or societies.
Through their care of victims of conflict and all those facing the daily
challenges of life, they teach us how to overcome our throwaway culture.
The Pope concluded by highlighting the importance of these
values in the work of interreligious dialogue. In the so-called dialogue of
life, where women are often more involved than men, they can help us better
understand the challenges of our multicultural societies.
But beyond that, he stressed, many women are well prepared
to contribute to the religious and theological discussions at the highest
levels, alongside their male counterparts. It is more necessary than ever that
they do so, he said, so that their skills of listening, welcoming, and openness
to others can be of service in weaving the delicate fabric of dialogue between
all men and women of good will.
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