Read the full Vatican document on women

SUZANNE HARRINGTON’s piece on the Vatican’s “Letter on collaboration between men and women in the church and world”, while hilarious and very well-written, obviously drew only from the second last page of the document.

What Suzanne presents to the reader as the Vatican’s list of a woman’s characteristic traits is in reality a list of attributes of Mary the Mother of God: listening, welcoming, humility, faithfulness, praise and waiting. Moreover, the letter goes on to say that these attributes are meant to be descriptive of the vocation of every Christian.

Also, earlier in the letter, it is stated that (i) to value women only for their biological function of reproduction is to disrespect them, (ii) women are more deeply attuned to the deeper values of life and are in fact reminders and signs of them, (iii) a passivity “inspired by an outdated conception of femininity” is to be rejected.