Pope Francis calls violence against women an ‘insult to God’
Pope Francis has said violence against women is an ‘insult to God’ in his new year’s wishes to the world.
During mass at St Peter’s Basilica in Rome, Francis ushered in 2022 by praising women for promoting peace in the world.
Mothers ‘know how to overcome obstacles and disagreements, and to instil peace,’ the pope said.
‘In this way, they transform problems into opportunities for rebirth and growth. They can do this because they know how to “keep”, to hold together the various threads of life.
‘We need such people, capable of weaving the threads of communion in place of the barbed wire of conflict and division.’
He then called for efforts to protect women, adding: ‘How much violence is directed against women! Enough!
‘To hurt a woman is to insult God, who from a woman took on our humanity.’
He said women and mothers ‘look at the world not to exploit it but so that it can have life’.
The pope added: ‘Women who, seeing with the heart, can combine dreams and aspirations with concrete reality, without drifting into abstraction and sterile pragmatism.’
While pledging to give women greater roles in the church, Francis also said the priesthood will stay reserved for men.
Except for the pope – who is 85 and vaccinated – and members of a chorus, participants in the Mass wore face masks.
Francis later addressed thousands of masked worshippers in St Peter’s Square.
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