Pope says "enough" to violence against women

In his homily, the Pope paid attention to the position of women and mothers. "As mothers give their lives and women guard the world, let us all strive to promote mothers and protect women. How much violence there is against women! Enough! To hurt a woman is to insult God, who took humanity from a woman. Not from an angel, not directly, but from a woman", the church father said in the sermon at the mass on the liturgical solemnity of Saint Mary, Mother of God.

The appeal reinforces the message left by Francisco on the last day of Christmas, in which he prayed for women victims of the violence that "is raging in this time of pandemic".

The mass on the first day of 2022 was celebrated in St. Peter's Basilica, also marking the 55th World Day of Peace.

Lockdowns

Violence against women is "almost satanic", Francis said last month on Italian television to a woman abused by her ex-husband. Since the beginning of the corona pandemic, the Pope has spoken more frequently about domestic violence, as violence against women increased during the lockdowns.

During the mass on January 1, the Pope invited Catholics to place the new year under the protection of Mary, Mother of God: "May she help us to guard and meditate on everything, without fear of trials, in the joyful certainty that the Lord is faithful and knows how to transform crosses in resurrections".

The Roman Catholic Church defined the dogma of the divine motherhood of Mary (Theotokos) at the Council of Ephesus in 431.

Peace

The homily highlighted the "inclusive look" of mothers, which "overcomes tensions by guarding and meditating on the heart".

"It is a concrete look, which does not allow itself to be conditioned by disconsolation or paralysed in the face of problems, but places them in a broader horizon", he stated.

In particular, the Pope evoked mothers who care for a sick or deprived child.

"It is about a conscious look, without illusions, and yet, without dwelling on sadness and problems, it offers a broader perspective, the perspective of care, of love that regenerates hope. This is what mothers do: they know how to overcome obstacles and conflicts and instil peace. In this way, they manage to transform adversity into occasions for rebirth and growth", he pointed out.