"God created man in his own image, in the image of God he created him; male and female he created them" (Genesis 1:27).

"It is not good that man should be alone; I will make him a helper fit for him" (Genesis 2:18).

"The creation of woman is thus marked from the outset by the principle of help, a help which is not one-sided but mutual. Woman complements man, just as man complements woman; men and women are complementary.

"Womanhood expresses the 'human' as much as manhood does, but in a different and complementary way."

These words were written by the late His Holiness Pope John Paul II in a letter to women on June 29, 1995 on the occasion of the Fourth World Conference on Woman in Beijing. He was writing as a sign of solidarity and gratitude to women.

He said that the Church desires for her part to give thanks to the most Holy Trinity for the "mystery of women" and for every woman - for all that constitutes the eternal measure of her feminine dignity, for the "great works of God"; which throughout human history have been accomplished in and through her.

This word of thanks to the Lord for his mysterious plan regarding the vocation and mission of women in the world is at the same time a concrete and direct word of thanks to women, to every woman, for all that they represent in the life of humanity.

Thank you, women who are mothers!

Thank you, women who are wives!

Thank you, women who are daughters and women who are sisters! Into the heart of the family, and then of all society, you bring the richness of your sensitivity, your intensiveness, your generosity and fidelity.

Thank you, women who work!

Thank you, consecrated women!

Thank you, every woman, for the simple fact of being a woman! Through the insight which is so much a part of your womanhood you enrich the world's understanding and help to make human relations more honest and authentic.

The Pope continues saying that simply saying thank you is not enough. Women's dignity has often been unacknowledged and their prerogatives misrepresented; they have often been relegated to the margins of society and even reduced to servitude.

Jesus treated women with openness, respect, acceptance and tenderness. Yes, it is time to examine the past with courage, to assign responsibility where it is due in a review of the long history of humanity.

Women have contributed to that history as much as men, and, more often than not, they did so in much more difficult conditions.

And what shall we say of the obstacles which in so many parts of the world still keep women from being fully integrated into social, political and economic life? We need only think of how the gift of motherhood is often penalised rather than rewarded, even though humanity owes its very survival to this gift.

Then, too, when we look at one of the most sensitive aspects of the situation of women in the world, how can we not mention the long and degrading history, albeit often an "underground" history, of violence against women in the area of sexuality?

Many obstacles in various parts of the world still prevent women from being acknowledged, respected and appreciated in their own special dignity. Such respect must first and foremost be won through an effective and intelligent campaign for the promotion of women. The word of God enables us to grasp clearly the ultimate basis of the dignity of women. Dear sisters (he means women here) together let us reflect now on the magnificent passage in scripture which describes the creation of the human race and which has so much to say about your dignity and mission in the world.

In the social and ethical dimension which deals with human relationships and spiritual values, society certainly owes much to the "genius of women". It is thus the Pope's hope to let this genius be more fully expressed in the life of society as a whole as well as in the life of the Church.

The Church sees in Mary the highest expression of the "feminine genius" and finds in her a source of constant inspiration. Mary called herself the "handmaid of the Lord" (Luke 1:38). She is the "Queen of heaven and earth". For her "to reign" is to serve! Her service is "to reign"!

In this vast domain of service, the Church's 2,000-year history has truly experienced "the genius of woman, from the heart of the Church there have emerged women of the highest calibre who have left an impressive and beneficial mark in history. The Pope mentions the great line of woman martyrs, saints and famous mystics and how can we overlook the many women, inspired by faith, who were responsible for initiatives of extraordinary social importance, especially in serving the poorest of the poor? Mother Teresa of Calcutta comes to mind.

Perhaps more than men, women acknowledge the person, because they see persons with their hearts.

The Pope ends by saying: "May Mary, queen of love, watch over women and their mission in service of humanity, of peace, of the spread of God's kingdom!"

I thought I had to share this beautiful letter to women with other readers.