The Australian bishops have issued a pastoral letter strongly supporting women to mark the celebration of International Women’s Day last Sunday.
“Across Australia today, women continue to witness to God’s care and compassion whilst carrying immense responsibility,” wrote Bishop Michael Morrissey, from Geraldton WA, speaking for the Bishops Commission for Evangelisation, Laity and Ministry.
“Women lead organisations and classrooms, serve in health care and public life. Women raise children, care for the elderly, contribute to our economy, and sustain the life of the Church. In rural communities, in cities, in remote regions, women’s participation and leadership is grounded, steady and often sacrificial.”
He also linked IWD to synodality.
“In our synodal journey, we speak of walking together,” he wrote. “Walking together means shared responsibility for the mission. It means that women participate not as an afterthought, but as coworkers in God’s vineyard in shaping our Church’s life now and into the future.”
Women, Bishop Morrissey said, are at the heart of the Gospel narratives.
“Women were disciples, prophets of faith and witnesses. Mary of Nazareth opened her heart to God’s plan with courage. The Samaritan woman dialogued with Jesus in theological reflection and became a missionary to her community. Women remained steadily with Jesus at the Cross. Mary Magdalene was entrusted with proclaiming that Christ was risen.
“These are examples that remind us women have always lived out their faith with responsibility, agency, and a deep sense of mission.”
At an event organised by the Sydney Archdiocese’s Justice and Peace Office, five women spoke about “reimagining power”.
“Power doesn’t have to be loud or imposed,” said Sharon Cooke, one of the panelists, who is Senior Manager for Aboriginal Education with Catholic Schools NSW and a Ngemba woman from rural NSW. “Quiet, shared power becomes a force for transformation, just as my mother and grandmother demonstrated for me,” she said.
And the National Catholic Education Commission released a statement for the occasion.
“Across Australia, women lead, teach, nurture, innovate and inspire every day. We are fortunate to live in a country where women have rights, opportunities and a strong voice in shaping our society. The leadership, compassion and determination of women continue to make Australia a fairer, stronger and more hopeful place,” it said.
“But today is also a reminder that many women around the world are not so fortunate. Too many still face barriers to education, safety, opportunity and equality. As we celebrate progress, we also stand in solidarity with women and girls everywhere who continue to strive for the dignity, freedom and opportunities they deserve.
“International Women’s Day is a call for all of us to support and lift one another up — to champion the achievements of women, to open doors for the next generation, and to build a world where every woman and girl can thrive.”
Pope Leo XIV did not release a statement about IWD, but in the Italian magazine Piazza San Pietro, the official magazine of St Peter’s Basilica, he did respond to a question from a young woman about abusive relationships.
He said that violence against women causes him “great suffering” and that society has to esteem what St John Paul II called “the feminine genius”.
“Perhaps this is also why women are targeted and killed,” the Pope wrote, “because they are a sign of contradiction in this confused, uncertain, and violent society; because they point us toward values of faith, freedom, equality, generativity, hope, solidarity, and justice. These are great values that are instead combated by a dangerous mentality that infests relationships, producing only selfishness, prejudice, discrimination, and a will to dominate.”
