"The female body: between culture and biology", the third point for
reflection, "reminds us of the beauty and harmony of the body God gave to
women, but also the painful wounds inflicted upon them, often with brutal
violence, for the mere fact of being women. A symbol of life, the female body
is unfortunately not infrequently attacked and disfigured by those who ought
instead to be its protectors and companions in life. The many forms of
enslavement, commodification and mutilation of women's bodies require us to
work to defeat this form of degradation that reduces them to mere objects to
be sold on various markets". "I wish to draw attention, in this respect, to
the suffering of many poor women, forced to life in conditions of danger and
exploitation, relegated to the margins of society and rendered victims of a
throwaway culture", stressed the Holy Father.
 The fourth theme, "Women and religion: flight or new forms of participation
in the life of the Church?" is of particular relevance to believers. The Pope
reiterated his conviction that it is urgent to "offer space to women in the
life of the Church and to welcome them, bearing in mind the specific features
and changes in cultural and social sensibilities. A more capillary and
incisive female presence within the Church is desirable, so that we can see
many women involved in pastoral responsibilities and in accompanying
individuals, families and groups, as well as in theological reflection".
 Finally, the Holy Father spoke about the indispensable role of women in the
family, and highlighted the importance of "encouraging and promoting the
effective presence of women in many areas of the public sphere, in the world
of work and in places where the most important decisions are taken", without
prejudice to their role in the private domain. "We must not leave women to
bear these burdens and take all these decisions alone; all institutions,
including the ecclesial community, must guarantee freedom of choice for women,
so that they have the opportunity to assume social and ecclesial
responsibilities, in harmony with family life".

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 God lives in the city
 Vatican City, 9 February 2015 (VIS) - On Saturday Pope Francis received in
audience the participants in the Plenary Session of the Pontifical Council for
the Laity, "Encountering God in the heart of the city". This year will be the
fiftieth anniversary of the closing of Vatican Council II, and to mark the
occasion, the Council is preparing a ceremony to commemorate the publication
of the decree on the lay apostolate, Apostolicam actuositatem. "The initiative
looks not only to the past, but also the present and the future of the
Church". He remarked that the theme chosen for the assembly reiterates the
invitation in Evangelii gaudium to face the challenge of urban cultures,
adding that "the phenomenon of urbanisation has now reached global
proportions: more than half the world's population lives in cities".
 "The urban context has a strong impact on the mentality, culture, lifestyles,
interpersonal relationships and religiosity of the people. In such a varied
and complex context, the Church is no longer the sole generator of meaning,
and Christians absorb 'languages, symbols, messages and paradigms which
propose new approaches to life, approaches often in contrast with the
Gospel'". He emphasised that, despite these risks, we must remember that God
has not abandoned cities. "The title of your Plenary underlines the fact that
it is possible to encounter God in the heart of the city. ... It is therefore
imperative not to abandon oneself to pessimism and defeatism, but to have an
outlook of faith with regard to our cities, a contemplative gaze 'which sees
God dwelling in their homes, in their streets and squares'. God is never
absent from the city, as He is never absent from the heart of man!".
 "In the city the terrain for the apostolate is often far more fertile than
many might imagine. It is important, therefore, to pay attention to the
formation of laypeople: to educate in having this gaze of faith, full of hope,
that knows how to see the city through God's eyes ... and at the same time it
is necessary to nurture in them the desire for witness, so that they can give
to others the gift of the faith they have received, accompanying with
affection those brothers who are taking their first steps in the life of
faith". Francis commented that Archbishop Giovanni Battista Montini frequently
referred to the "search for the essential", and often urged those involved in
the great urban mission of Milan to be essential themselves: "that is, to be
genuine, authentic and to live that which truly counts. Only in this way it is
possible to propose in its strength, in its beauty, in its simplicity, the
liberating proclamation of God's love and the salvation that Christ offers.
Only in this way can one adopt that attitude of respect towards people:
offering the essential that is the Gospel".

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 Francis to the SECAM: Invest in education in Africa to defend the young from
fundamentalism and abuse of religion
 Vatican City, 7 February 2015 (VIS) - Providing "a common response to the new
challenges facing the continent,allowing the Church to speak with one voice
and to witness to her vocation as a sign and instrument of salvation, peace,
dialogue and reconciliation" is the mission of the Symposium of Episcopal
Conferences of Africa and Madagascar (SECAM), the institution conceived and
promoted following Vatican Council II to be at the service of the local
churches in Africa. This morning Pope Francis received in audience
representatives from the Symposium and, in his address, he emphasised that the
institution must "remain faithful to its identity as a vibrant experience of
communion and of service to the poorest of the poor".
 "To this end, pastors must remain free from worldly and political concerns,
that they continually strengthen the bonds of fraternal communion with the
Successor of Peter, through cooperation with the Apostolic Nunciatures, and
easy and direct communication with other Church bodies. At the same time, it
is necessary to maintain the simple ecclesial experiences available to all, as
well as streamlined pastoral structures. Experience teaches that large
bureaucratic structures approach problems in the abstract and risk distancing
the Church from people. For this reason, it is important to be concrete: that
which is concrete is in touch with reality".
 "Above all, it is the youth who need your witness. Young men and women look
to us. In Africa, the future is in the hands of the young, who need to be
protected from new and unscrupulous forms of 'colonisation' such as the
pursuit of success, riches, and power at all costs, as well as fundamentalism
and the distorted use of religion, in addition to new ideologies which destroy
the identity of individuals and of families. The most effective way to
overcome the temptation to give in to harmful lifestyles is by investing in
education. Education will also help to overcome a widespread mentality of
injustice and violence, as well as ethnic divisions. The greatest need is for
a model of education which teaches the young to think critically and
encourages growth in moral values. An important component in this educational
process is the pastoral care of students: in Catholic or public schools there
is a need to unite academic studies with the explicit proclamation of the
Gospel".
 "There are various reasons why we are seeing, also in Africa, a trend towards
the breakdown of the family. In response, the Church is called to evaluate and
encourage every initiative to strengthen the family, which is the real source
of all forms of fraternity and the foundation and primary way of peace. More
recently, many priests, men and women religious as well as members of the lay
faithful have admirably taken responsibility for the care of families, with a
special concern for the elderly, the sick and the handicapped. Even in the
most distant and remote regions, your local Churches have proclaimed the
Gospel of Life and, following the example of the Good Samaritan, have come to
the help of those most in need. A magnificent witness to charity has been
given in response to the recent outbreak of the Ebola virus, which has struck
many communities, parishes and hospitals. Many African missionaries have
generously given their lives by remaining close to those suffering from this
disease. This path must be followed with renewed apostolic zeal! As followers
of Christ, we cannot fail to be concerned for the welfare of the weakest; we
must also draw the attention of society and the civil authorities to their
plight".
 "Dear brothers, I express my appreciation for the invaluable contribution
made by so many priests, men and women religious and lay faithful to the
proclamation of the Gospel and the social advancement of your people. SECAM is
also a means of promoting respect for the law, so as to ensure that the ills
of corruption and fatalism may be healed, and to encourage the efforts of
Christians in society as a whole, always in view of the common good. The great
work of evangelisation consists in striving to make the Gospel permeate every
aspect of our lives so that we, in turn, can bring it to others. For this
reason, it must always be borne in mind that evangelisation implies
conversion, that is, interior renewal. The process of purification, which is
inherent in evangelisation, means accepting the call of Christ to 'repent and
believe the Good News'. As a result of this conversion to salvation,not only
individuals but the entire ecclesial community is transformed, and becomes an
ever greater and more vital expression of faith and charity.
 "May the light and the strength of the Holy Spirit sustain your pastoral
efforts. May the Virgin Mary protect you and intercede for you and for the
entire continent of Africa. To each of you, I give my Apostolic Blessing.
Please pray for me".

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