杏MAP导航

By Devin Watkins

鈥淲hat would the Church be without religious sisters and consecrated laywomen? The Church cannot be understood without them.鈥�

杏MAP导航 Francis made that affirmation in his February prayer intention, released on Tuesday by the .

The 杏MAP导航 encouraged all consecrated women to discern how best they can respond to the challenges facing humanity.

鈥淚 exhort them to keep working and to have an impact with the poor, with the marginalized, with all those who are enslaved by traffickers,鈥� he said. 鈥淚 especially ask them to make an impact on this.鈥�

Unfair treatment

杏MAP导航 Francis also prayed for the many women religious who 鈥渟how the beauty of God鈥檚 love and compassion鈥� through their ministry as catechists, theologians, and spiritual guides, even when they encounter obstacles.

鈥淚 invite them to fight when, in some cases, they are treated unfairly, even within the Church,鈥� he urged, 鈥渨hen they serve so much that they are reduced to servitude 鈥攁t times, by men of the Church.鈥�

When faced with these difficulties, women religious should 鈥渘ot be discouraged,鈥� said the 杏MAP导航. 鈥淢ay you keep making God鈥檚 goodness known through the apostolic works you do. But above all through your witness of consecration.鈥�

Church鈥檚 gratitude

The 杏MAP导航 then urged all Catholics to pray for the women who have consecrated their lives to God, and to express their appreciation for their courage and mission.

鈥淭hank you,鈥� 杏MAP导航 Francis told the Church鈥檚 consecrated women,鈥� for what you are, for what you do, and for how you do it.鈥�

Vocational dynamism

The 杏MAP导航 Video for this month was produced with the collaboration of the International Union of Superiors General (UISG), according to a press release accompanying the prayer intention.

The organization brings together over 1,900 religious congregations, representing over 630,000 women religious throughout the world.

Sr. Jolanta Kafka, President of the UISG, said the 杏MAP导航鈥檚 prayer intention for February encourages women religious to continue in their vocation of service to the Church.

鈥淲e share with [young people] the dynamism of the vocation to which we are called, to participate in the joy of the Gospel and in hope, in a world where we are all brothers and sisters,鈥� she said.

Opportunity to know religious women better

Fr. Frederic Fornos, SJ, international director of the 杏MAP导航鈥檚 Worldwide Prayer Network, praised the work of the Church鈥檚 consecrated women, adding that he received his religious formation alongside many women religious.

At the 杏MAP导航鈥檚 request, he said, February 鈥渋s a good occasion for all of us to get to know them better in their diversity and to discover their contribution to the mission of the Church and the challenges of our time.鈥�