8 March, Pope Leo XIV: ‘Suffering due to violence against women, supporting female genius’

Rome, 8 March (LaPresse) – ‘Violence in relationships, and in particular violence against women, is a source of great suffering for me.’ Pope Leo XIV wrote this in response to a letter from a reader of Piazza San Pietro magazine, edited by Father Enzo Fortunato. The Pontiff, quoting St. John Paul II, emphasises that it is necessary to support ‘the feminine genius.’ Women, the Pope remarks, are ‘protagonists and creators of a culture of care and fraternity that is indispensable for giving a future and dignity to all humanity’ and ‘perhaps also for this reason’ today they are ‘attacked and killed,’ because, Leo insists, ‘they are a sign of contradiction in this confused, uncertain and violent society, because they point us to values of faith, freedom, equality, generativity, hope, solidarity and justice.’ The Pope then appealed ‘not to underestimate an act of violence’ and not to be ‘afraid to denounce violence.’ ‘The Church,’ he added, ‘together with families, schools, parishes, movements and associations, religious congregations and public institutions, can share the urgency of implementing specific projects to prevent and stop violence against women.’ Finally, Prevost recalled the importance of educating young people to combat the scourge of violence.