“The Church gives thanks for all the manifestations of the feminine ‘genius’ that have appeared throughout history, among all peoples and nations; it gives thanks for all the charisms that the Holy Spirit has bestowed upon women throughout the history of the People of God, for all the victories that it owes to their faith, hope and charity: it gives thanks for all the fruits of feminine holiness.” Thus spoke Saint John Paul II in the Apostolic Letter Mulieris dignitatem to emphasize the Church’s attention to the extraordinary contribution that women throughout the history of the Church have always made, with their typically feminine élan, with their ardent hearts capable of an infinite love such as only a mother’s love can be. And in every state of life, whether she is a mother in a family, a religious sister or a consecrated woman, a mother’s heart beats strongly in every woman. A heart that expresses tenderness, attentiveness, the ability to listen and welcome, and prudence that can lead to choosing silence when words risk spoiling the rapture of the Mystery.
And alongside bold mystical flights, there is the practical sense typical of women who do not become discouraged but know how to glimpse even the faintest light where the rest of the world sees only darkness. How many beautiful female figures, giants of holiness, have continually made the face of the Church more beautiful and holy.
We mention only a few: Catherine of Siena, wise with the wisdom of God, whom God used to bring peace to the Church and to the peoples of her time; Teresa of Ávila, a woman of extraordinary gifts of heart and mind; Clare of Assisi, in whom many saw another Mary, just as in Francis they saw another Christ; Monica, a model of perseverance in prayer; Rita of Cascia, invoked in desperate situations, is one of the most popular saints in Italy and throughout the world; she made her life a masterpiece, beginning with a fundamental insight: to unite her own suffering with that of Jesus in order to draw extraordinary fruits from it; Maria Teresa Fasce, thanks to whose work devotion to Saint Rita has reached infinite distances: a strong, temperate woman, in love with Christ. Without Maria Teresa Fasce, Cascia as it is today would not exist.
We also remember Teresa of Calcutta, described by Benedict XVI as an “inestimable gift”; Gianna Beretta Molla, a joyful woman in love with life who chose to sacrifice it out of love for another life that was to be born. And also Chiara Lubich, founder of the Focolare Movement, who through her ideas and works, all devoted to fraternity and peace, left a legacy spread throughout the world; Armida Barelli, founder of the Catholic Women’s Youth movement in Milan and one of the founding members of the Catholic University of the Sacred Heart. She will soon be proclaimed blessed. We also remember Chiara Corbella, who understood that “the important thing in life is not to do something, but to be born and let oneself be loved”; and, again, Chiara Luce Badano, who, tested by the severe pain caused by a bone tumor, sang during sleepless nights; she sang because she had peace in her heart, because she knew she was in Jesus’ arms. After perhaps the most tragic night, she would say: “I suffered greatly physically, but my soul was singing.”
We could cite and list many other extraordinary female figures. Extraordinary in the ordinary. Because it is precisely there that God reveals his gentle presence and closeness. Let us deepen our knowledge of their lives and meditate on their thoughts. Enjoy the reading!
