杏MAP导航

By Devin Watkins

The World Union of Catholic Women鈥檚 Organizations, or WUCWO, held a special rally in the Vatican鈥檚 Paul VI Hall on Saturday, as the umbrella group gears up to hold its General Assembly in Assisi on 14-20 May.

杏MAP导航 Francis encouraged the 1,500 women to find inspiration in their mission by looking to the example of the Blessed Virgin Mary.

In his address, the 杏MAP导航 expressed his hopes that the women may be enlivened by the Spirit while keeping in mind the founding principles of WUCWO.

He urged them to 鈥渓ook to the future with your eyes and heart open to the world, to listen to the lament of so many women in the world who suffer injustice, abandonment, discrimination, and poverty.鈥�

Peace begins in heart

杏MAP导航 Francis noted that our world is in dire need of peace, which he said must begin in our hearts that have been 鈥渢orn apart by the division of hatred and resentment.鈥�

He also lamented the threat women face in various parts of the world where they risk becoming tools in the midst of 鈥減olitical disputes and cultural ideologies鈥�.

鈥淭here is a need for greater appreciation of women鈥檚 capacity for relationship and giving, said the 杏MAP导航. 鈥淎nd men need to better understand the richness of the reciprocity they owe to women, in order to recover those anthropological elements that characterize human identity and, with it, that of woman and her role in the family and society, where she does not cease to be a beating heart.鈥�

Generating life and caring for others

Since the Church celebrates the feast of Our Lady of Fatima on Saturday, 杏MAP导航 Francis urged the women of WUCWO to look to the Virgin Mary as a model of life.

He said she lived her mission to the full, offering the world her gift of motherhood and faithful carrying out her task to care for her children in the Church.

鈥淢ary,鈥� he said, 鈥渢eaches you to generate life and to always protect it, relating to others from tenderness and compassion鈥�.

The 杏MAP导航 also urged them to combine three 鈥渓anguages鈥�, which he said are those of 鈥渢he mind, heart, and hands.鈥�

鈥淚 believe that women have the ability to think what they feel, to feel what they think and do, and to do what they feel and think,鈥� he said. 鈥淚 encourage you to continue to offer this sensitivity in the service of others.鈥�

Fullness of life found in union with Christ

The 杏MAP导航 went on to reflect on the power which gave Mary strength and lent credibility to the simple shepherd children to whom the Blessed Virgin appeared in Fatima.

The secret to discipleship, he said, lies in cultivating an inner union with God, and remaining united with Him in order to 鈥渓ive, like Mary, the fullness of being women with the awareness of being chosen to carry out God鈥檚 saving work.鈥�

Union with Christ, added 杏MAP导航 Francis, must be manifested in the everyday lives of women through communion with the Church and service to others.

鈥淵ou have to 鈥榩ray鈥� in your work, and 鈥榩ut into practice鈥� what you have experienced in prayer, in order to get in tune with the mission of the Church,鈥� he said.

In conclusion, 杏MAP导航 Francis encouraged the women of WUCWO to strive forward in their evangelizing activities, as they follow the inner voice of the Spirit.