According to some, the Catholic Church oppresses women. Their arguments are based on the principles of the world: power, autonomy, absolute equality, etc. In their minds, if the Church does not support women's "reproductive rights" or women priests or the ability to choose which gender one wishes to be and so forth, the Church is thus against women.
However, that flies in the face of all the Church has done for women throughout the last two millennia and as embodied by today's saint, St. Clare of Assisi. St. Clare was a follower of St. Francis of Assisi and founder of the Second Order, the Poor Clares. She also completely accepted the gift of poverty as Francis had. She set up a convent in Assisi with a Rule that she wrote, allowing them to be free from property, surviving by means of the alms given to them by the Franciscan brothers. This was completely different from every other women's religious order and it was due to her courage and perseverance.
Women have been at the heart of the Church going back to the Virgin Mary and continuing with the first person to whom the risen Jesus revealed himself, Mary Magdalene, to great martyrs like Sts. Perpetua and Felicity to great teachers of the Church like St. Macrina and St. Hildegard, to great leaders and founders of convents and religious orders like St. Bridget, St. Catherine of Siena, St. Clare, Bl. Teresa of Calcutta, to great doctors of the Church like St. Teresa of Avila and St. Therese of Liseux, to mothers like St. Gianna Beretta Molla, who gave her life instead of taking her baby's. Mary is our mother and the Mother of the Church. Women have influenced us throughout our lives. Let us follow St. Clare's courageous example and leadership to help us live lives of holiness and virtue.
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