Pope: Women’s contributions to Vatican must be increasingly valued
By Christopher Wells
Pope Leo XIV insisted that “the presence of women” in the Vatican “is a valuable asset that must be increasingly recognized and appreciated” in an address to representatives of the Women in the Vatican Association and of the Association of Vatican Lay Workers (Associazione Dipendenti Laici Vaticani, ADLV).
Valuing the role of women
Women, he said, “bring not only a special sensitivity toward people and relationships but also the full range of human, professional, and intellectual talents inherent in the female experience and perspective.
“Their expertise, discernment, creativity, and practical approach,” he continued, "enrich the life of these institutions and help foster a broader view of reality and the challenges encountered.”
The Holy Father emphasized, once again, the “irreplaceable centrality of the human person and the inalienable dignity of work,” especially given the developments in artificial intelligence. “Work ‘is not merely a tool, it expresses and enhances the dignity of our lives,’” he said, quoting his own encyclical, Magnifica humanitas.
Community and unity at the heart of mission
In the Vatican in particular, he said, it is especially important to highlight “two concepts of fundamental value—community and unity,” which he said, “are very close to my heart.”
The Pope said that all “who contribute their work to the Pope’s ministry form an ecclesial community,” sharing in the mission entrusted to Peter and his successors by the Lord. “With equal dignity, everyone contributes… to the same mission.”
Workers’ associations, he continued, “can play a valuable role in fostering this spirit,” though they must not “drift into a stance of confrontation or conflict.”
The way forward: Dialogue
Where problems in the workplace arise, Pope Leo said, “the path of dialogue,” pursued with “confidence and creativity” “remains the primary way forward.”
Indeed, he said, “revitalizing dialogue at all levels is what I sought, in my first encyclical, to propose to the entire Church and to all women and men of good will,” as “an integral part of the Church’s vocation” and “a principal instrument for coexistence among people.”
“As we walk this path together,” the Pope said in conclusion, “we will strive to build a workplace community where people are neither used nor sidelined, where we support one another and acknowledge everyone’s worth and competence, avoiding the seeds of dissatisfaction and resentment.”
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