The Holy Father, Pope Francis has called for women integration in important decision making in the church. Pope Francis who gave this charge in his prayer intention for the month of October after the recitation of the Angelus prayer on Sunday, expressed his desire that lay people especially women, should exercise Christian leadership and participate more in areas of responsibility in the Church. The Holy Father who has repeatedly reiterated the desire that women participates more in Church responsibility, noted that men, as well as women were baptized as lay people, and all are therefore, protagonists of the Church.
Said he: “None of us was baptized a priest or bishop; we were all baptized as lay people, men and women. We are protagonists of the Church. Further encouraging the integration of women in places where important decisions are made, the Holy Father cautioned them against falling into clericalism, which he said diminishes the lay charism, and even ruins the face of Holy Mother Church. “Let us pray that, by virtues of baptism, the lay faithful, especially women, will participate more in institutions of responsibility in the church, without falling into the clericalism that nullify the lay charismatic, and also ruin the face of the Holy Mother Church.
We must promote the integration of women in places where important decisions are made, “he said. While highlighting the contributions that lay women can make in the church, the Pope prayed that the church make greater space for a more incisive feminine presence in the Church. Said he: “We pray that the laity, especially women, may participate more in areas of responsibility in the Church. Today we still need to make greater space for a more incisive feminine presence in the Church, I mean a lay presence, but underlining the feminine aspect because women are often put to one side.” The Holy Father also prayed for the victims of violence between Armenia and Azerbaijan, and expressed happiness over the ceasefire.
