Celebrating International Women’s Day

A special blessing for all the women in the square. And a round of applause for women! They deserve it!

Pope Francis

Pope Francis applauded ‘all women’ in a special message following his weekly Wednesday audience address to pilgrims at St Peter’s Square in celebration of International Women’s Day on 8 March.

“I think of all women: I thank them for their commitment to building a more humane society through their ability to grasp reality with a creative gaze and tender heart. This is a privilege of women alone! A special blessing for all the women in the piazza. And a round of applause for the women. They deserve it!” Pope Francis said, but it was his message around the expectations for every baptised Catholic that reminded every one of us, especially of the charism is every woman’s call. There is no option to be “passive subjects” when it comes to evangelization because every baptised Catholic has a mission to actively proclaim the Gospel, Pope Francis said.

“Every baptised person … whatever his position in the Church or level of education in the faith, is an active subject of evangelization.

“Are you Christian? ‘Yes, I received baptism …’ And do you evangelize?” the pope asked.

By virtue of the baptism received and the consequent incorporation into the Church, every baptized person participates in the mission of the Church and, in it, in the mission of Christ the king, priest, and prophet,” he encouraged Catholics and all those gathered at St Peter’s Square on Wednesday.

He reflected on the Second Vatican Council’s decree on missionary activity, Ad gentes (To the nations), which he said “reminds us that it is the task of the Church to continue the mission of Christ. Quoting Ad gentes, he said: “‘The Church, prompted by the Holy Spirit, must walk in the same path on which Christ walked: a path of poverty and obedience, of service and self-sacrifice to the death, from which death he came forth a victor by his resurrection.’”

The Holy Father also greeted the sick, the elderly, newlyweds and young people.

“In these days of Lent,” he said, “walk even more courageously in the footsteps of Christ, seeking to imitate His humility and faithfulness to the divine will.”

He also encouraged the continuation of prayers for Ukraine. Source: Vaticannews.va

To all the women across Our Lady of the Rosary Caloundra Catholic parish, Happy International Women’s Day. 

We each have our own gifts and way of being; our own feminine genius. Magnifying the Lord is the lens through which we all look at how we are deepening our love of God and our love of others.

The International Women’s Day theme this year was “Embrace Equity”. For more about the event that was adopted by the United Nations 46 years ago, listen to four different voices from across the Archdiocese of Brisbane about the importance of celebrating women’s achievements and having access to opportunity.