Dignity of Women

 

This week marks the 20th anniversary of Pope John Paul’s Apostolic Letter Mulieris Dignitatem, on the “Dignity and Vocation of Women.” The Vatican is encouraging Catholics to take this opportunity to get familiar with what it says, and promote its powerful message. That prompted this letter, from author and publisher Genevieve Kineke:

This Apostolic Letter (signed August 15th, 1988) was written by John Paul II to encourage women in their vocations, to highlight the essential feminine genius that they provide to the world, and to restore spiritual and physical motherhood to a culture that was quickly losing sight of the very meaning of nuptial love.

The Catholics of North America have been asked in particular to consider the document in light of one overarching theme: The Dignity of Women in a Technological and Consumeristic Society.

Which results in this outstanding Dignity of Women enterprise. It’s just starting to build, but already has rich resources. And I’m pleased and honored to join the team.

This is such a relief to write, turning attention away from some of those stories in the posts below. Maybe this great writing of John Paul II will finally get deserved widespread attention. Its message is so intuitive….but counter-cultural.

Which reminds me of something I’ve been meaning to promote here, an upcoming conference in the Chicago area to celebrate and strengthen “The Sacramental Life.” An important part of that is recalling that marriage is a sacrament, not an arrangement, agreement, civil union, or some of the other modern renditions of what it was established – in Old Testament times – to be.