Pope Francis discussed a complex and thorny issue in his catechesis: the differences between men and women, and how they complement each other.
POPE FRANCIS
' God creates man and woman in his own image and likeness. Not only man, not only woman, but also the two together. The difference between them is not for competition or domination. Instead, reciprocity is needed for communion and for procreation in the image and likeness of God. This complementary nature is the basis of the family and lifelong unions, sustained by the grace of God. Human beings are made to listen and help each other.â?
For humans to know each other well and grow in harmony, the Pope said, they need reciprocity between man and woman. He recalled that when one party tries to dominate over the other, problems arise, which is why the solution is complementarity, not the removal the differences.
POPE FRANCIS
'I wonder, for example, if the so-called 'Theory of Genderâ? is not an expression of frustration and resignation, looking to cancel sexual difference because one cannot confront the other. Yes: We are in danger of taking a step backwards. The cancellation of the difference is the problem, not the solution.â?
The Pope gave advice for how to solve relationship problems: He said that men and women should speak more, be heard and understood, and should treat each other with respect. That, according to the Pope, leads to a successful lifelong union. He also proposed two lines of action.
POPE FRANCIS
'We need to do much more in favor of women. Not just to recognize them more, but instead to give their voice real power and effective authority in society and in the Church.â?
His second suggestion is to 'rediscover the beauty of God's creative design.â? He added that the crisis of not trusting God could be directly linked to the crisis between man and woman.
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