The Australian and British Embassies to the Holy See host an event dedicated to bringing women students from around the world together to encourage them on their paths as leaders in the Church and in society.
By Kielce Gussie
Women from around the world gathered in Rome on March 9 to partake in a joint initiative of the British and Australian Embassies to the Holy See on the theme: “Women of faith: Student leaders of tomorrow”.
On the heels of International Women’s Day, fifteen women of thirteen different nationalities embarked on a daylong course centered on their common interest in how faith, values, and public engagement can help bring about positive change in the Church and in society as a whole.
Women from across the globe meeting in Rome
These women came from different universities and organizations based in Rome. Over the course of the day, the group discussed how women’s leadership and perspectives grounded in faith are contributing to tackling issues like peacebuilding, poverty reduction, education, and climate change.
It’s not just A or B
To start, the women heard from the Canadian Ambassador to the Holy See, Joyce Napier; the Australian Ambassador to the Holy See, Keith Pitt; and the British Ambassador to the Holy See, Christopher Trott.
Reflecting on Ambassador Napier’s address, some of the participants described the beauty of seeing a woman balancing family, work, and spiritual life. This particularly touched Daniela Niño Giraldo from Colombia, who is a recently married, working woman, expecting her first child.
It reminded her that women should “not be afraid of what will happen” after childbirth, Giraldo explained. Seeing the example of the Canadian ambassador encouraged her to not be afraid of balancing work and motherhood. She does not have to give up on her mission in the Church.
“We really need reference points because sometimes we think we need to choose between A or B. Seeing these examples gives us a path to follow.”
Women play an essential role
“As much as we are celebrating the achievement of women…we should also remember the women whose voices have been silenced by their abusive environment,” Mary Wangithi Mugo from Kenya stressed at the end of the event.
For this Talith Kum youth ambassador and founder of Sema Nami—an organization dedicated to fighting human trafficking—this event was a call to action “to do something against the exploitation of women.”
Talitha Kum is dedicated to fighting against human trafficking (M. Mastrandrea / Talitha Kum)
Working directly with survivors of human trafficking, Mugo highlighted how women play an essential and particular role. Many people turn to the Church for support after their experience, and often they find priests.
Despite knowing what exploitation is, Mugo argued, priests cannot understand the experience of a woman. “That’s where women come in because we understand each other. Though I do not exactly understand what someone went through as a survivor, from my point of view as a woman, I am able to understand them 90%”, she said.
Sources of inspiration
Women’s role in society and the Church is different from that of men. It is not the same as the priesthood or a religious friar. But the goal of this event was to emphasize that women do have a role in the Catholic Church, both on the local and universal levels.
“As a baptized Catholic, as a woman, we have [a particular] role to play, especially when it comes to women’s issues and children’s issues,” Mugo stressed. For girls and women coming from difficult backgrounds, seeing women in leadership roles in the Church offer hope.
“It will not be a path of roses,” she explained, “but there is hope for us upcoming leaders.”
Moreover, the event showcased lay women in positions of leadership within the Church—something that really inspired Giraldo. She highlighted the beauty of seeing the Church-diplomatic corps relationship. This really gave her hope because, as she explained, “sometimes I think I’m here [in Rome] studying as a lay woman, and I do not know how I will put all these pieces together. But I know I cannot stop.”
Seeing female ambassadors, journalists, and communicators—lay women actively engaged in the work of the Church— became a powerful source of inspiration and hope for Giraldo.
A new support network
Both Giraldo and Mugo highlighted how this event offered them a support network by connecting them with women facing many of the same challenges. It is a system that can help build women up.
Mugo noted that this represents “one step ahead in combating human trafficking and the exploitation of women.”
“We, as women, need to work together and to have spaces where we connect and we talk and we support each other,” Giraldo emphasized. This, she said, helps women grow together and learn from the different perspectives. Creating this network is important because it helps women “understand that we are not alone in this process.”
Photogallery
“Women of faith: Student leaders of tomorrow”
