Editorial

This year marks the 20th anniversary of the publication of Pope John Paul II's apostolic letter on the dignity and vocation of women.

Archbishop Paul Cremona has set up a committee, chaired by Marcelle Delicata, to raise public awareness on the message of Mulieris Dignitatem, addressing the importance of women to God, to the Church and to society.

John Paul II left a positive legacy. His pontificate was remarkable for what he achieved by his witness for people, regardless of gender, speaking up for the dignity of the human person and for his condemnation of the exploitation of women, be it as victims of human trafficking and pornography or in the sweatshops in Asia.

In his teachings, John Paul II stressed the vital role of women in the family as the rock on which it would be built and championed their greater participation in public life in their interest and in that of the community they serve.

For too long, and in various ways, women have often been marginalised and treated as second-class citizens. In the 20 years since the publication of John Paul II's exhortation for woman's dignity to be recognised there have been substantial cultural and social changes, even in Malta.

In a positive way, more and more women are given the opportunity for further education and higher positions of responsibility. More women seek work outside the home and a number have reached the highest positions in various spheres of endeavour.

The Church has tried to put into practice what it preaches and more women are taking roles in the Church not just as Eucharistic ministers, readers or servers but also in higher positions of authority such as judges and lawyers in ecclesiastical tribunals. No doubt, there is more to be done to enable women to be consulted more and have a larger say in the decision-making structures of society and the Church.

Ms Delicata and her committee hope to extend and sharpen debate on the nature of marriage, motherhood and women's role in the Church and in society. They also intend to make fathers realise that they have to be just as involved in child-rearing as women.

It is essential that the committee responsible for disseminating the message of Mulieris Dignitatem make the effort to communicate the key points and illustrate their relevance in today's society with clarity so that it can be understood by a wider audience. The committee has already announced it will be holding two seminars: on May 24 on the various roles of women and on November 7, which will deal with the juggling of a career with other commitments.

The committee should also address the negative aspects of strident feminism which overreacts against injustices that have kept women in an unfair subservient position. Unwittingly, as a consequence, it denigrates women's femininity, marriage and motherhood.

This has made women overlook an economic model that is forcing more families to depend on a dual income as a necessity. More and more women have to forfeit their possibility to have more children with the consequent negative impact on Europe's demography.

Malta must guard against any attempts, whether originating from the EU or elsewhere, that somehow ignore the fact that women's staying at home to care for their children is an important and welcome contribution to the well-being of all citizens.

Women, if they so wish, should be entitled to work outside the home with an appropriate work schedule and not have to relinquish their family life, enduring continual stress, with negative consequences for their own equilibrium and the harmony of the family.

The commemoration of this apostolic letter should serve as an opportunity to galvanise men and women to foster relationships of harmony and mutuality in the interest of promoting a healthy society.