“St Brigid is certainly an inspiring example of the indispensable contribution that women make to the daily life and mission of the Church, and society,” the archbishop said. “Sadly, we live in a world where the personal dignity of women is too often threatened by violence, abuse, inequality, commercial surrogacy, pornography, and now by the manipulation of female images online, gender ideology, the false promise of abortion on demand and other forms of exploitation.”
He mentioned Pope St John Paul’s Christifideles Laici, when the pope “emphasised that women exercise a special role in the mission of Christ because ‘women have the task of assuring the moral dimension of culture.’”
“The Church, and wider society, needs the particular insights and witness of women,” Archbishop Martin said. He believes women can bring important views to the Church’s mission, and that it is important to promote “the specific charisms and dignity that women can bring to the Church’s mission.”
Especially in conversations regarding “contemporary society; decision-making, governance and leadership; education, catechesis and evangelisation.”