Readers of this blog know that I’m a great fan of Pope Francis. His daily homilies and messages continue to raise my hopes and warm my heart. His simplicity, warmth and compassion are being embraced by many around the world. I was disappointed, though, by his comments to the International Union of Superior Generals (UISG) in Rome on May 8.
The fact that he had a private audience with this global leadership group of women was reason to celebrate, since previous popes had not done so. Many hoped to hear his message on the role of women in the church. Sadly, he seemed to reiterate the sentimentalized view of women voiced by both John Paul II and Benedict XVI.
I wrote a column for the Prairie Messenger last week reflecting on this comment made by Pope Francis to the women religious.
“What would the church be without you?” A church without them, he said, “would be missing maternity, affection, tenderness.”
It’s time we moved beyond the belief that maternity, affection and tenderness is the sole domain of women. Here is the article .
catholic dialogue 
Amen to that, Isabella! I had exactly the same reaction: “here we go again.” So discouraging. These stereotypes are reductive of women’s humanity, and men’s, too.