AFRICA : Pope pleads for women's equality in Africa, praises 'silent heroines' [Pope Benedict XVI strongly defended women's rights and praised the many "silent heroines" of Africa who are holding families and society together. African women in particular are working under adverse conditions that are often caused by the "behavior and attitudes of men," the pope said in Angola March 22. "History records almost exclusively the accomplishments of men, when in fact much of it is due to the determined, unrelenting and charitable action of women," he said. "Think of all the places afflicted by great poverty or devastated by war, and of all the tragic situations resulting from migrations, forced or otherwise. It is almost always women who manage to preserve human dignity, to defend the family and to protect cultural and religious values," he said. The pope's remarks touched on a huge issue in Africa that has increasingly drawn church attention. He spoke to members of Catholic movements working for women's promotion in St. Anthony Church in Luanda, where a mostly female audience greeted him with lively African singing. Church and human rights agencies say women in many parts of Africa are still treated as property, lack legal rights, suffer intimidation and beatings by their husbands, and are subject to sexual violence and human trafficking. The pope appealed for everyone to pay greater attention to these situations, and especially to "ways in which the behavior and attitudes of men, who at times show a lack of sensitivity and responsibility, may be to blame." "This forms no part of God's plan," he declared. The pope said there is a natural "captivating charm that radiates from woman" because of the grace God has given her. Man is enlightened by this quality, he said. "We must therefore recognize, affirm and defend the equal dignity of man and woman: they are both persons, utterly unique among all the living beings found in the world," he said. The pope said men and women are called to work together for the common good through the complementary aspects of masculinity and femininity. He said such differences are important and good, especially in our increasingly mechanized culture."Who today can fail to recognize the need to make more room for the 'reasons of the heart'? In a world like ours, dominated by technology, we feel the need for this feminine complementarity, so that the human race can live in the world without completely losing its humanity," he said."]
By John Thavis, Catholic News Service LUANDA, Angola (CNS)
The Eighth Station: Jesus Speaks to the Holy Women
The Eighth Station: Jesus Speaks to the Holy Women
My Jesus, I am amazed at Your compassion for others in Your time of need. When I suffer, I have a tendency to think only of myself but You forgot Yourself completely. When You saw the holy women weeping over Your torments, You consoled them and taught them to look deeper into Your Passion. You wanted them to understand that the real evil to cry over was the rejection You suffered from the Chosen people - a people set apart from every other nation, who refused to accept God's Son. The Act of Redemption would go on and no one would ever be able to take away Your dignity as Son of God, but the evil, greed, jealousy and ambition in the hearts of those who should have recognized You was the issue to grieve over. To be so close to God made man and miss Him completely was the real crime. My Jesus, I fear I do the same when I strain gnats and then swallow camels - when I take out the splinter in my brother's eye and forget the beam in my own. It is such a gift - this gift of faith. It is such a sublime grace to possess Your own Spirit. Why haven't I advanced in holiness of life? I miss the many disguises you take upon Yourself and see only people, circumstances and human events, not the loving hand of the Father guiding all things. Help all those who are discouraged, sick, lonely and old to recognize Your Presence in their midst.Amen
http://www.ewtn.com/devotionals/stations/stat8.htm
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