I had the honor of representing The Lay Centre at a recent Caritas Internationalis event, held on March 10, around International Women’s Day, entitled “Women Weavers of Hope.” During this occasion, I was invited to speak briefly about our organization’s work in promoting lay women in the Church and in the world. I thought it would be valuable to share the three key points of my reflection there. I hope they will serve as a useful record of where we stand and provide insight into how we can move forward on this important matter.
First point
As Donna Orsuto’s first successor as director of The Lay Centre, I am deeply aware of my responsibility to continue her legacy, particularly in promoting women. I must acknowledge that we were founded by two remarkable women, Donna Orsuto and Riekie Van Velzen, inspired by the charism of hospitality, dialogue and Christian unity of a congregation of women religious, the Ladies of Bethany.
Nearly 40 years ago, Donna and Riekie laid the foundations upon which we continue to build today. It was through their vision that an organization focused on promoting the laity was brought into the heart of the Church in Rome.
With this in mind, I ask myself daily: How can I, in my role, be of service to women? I am confident that our founders entrusted us – with faith in our team and community – to carry this mission forward on their behalf.
Second point
The Lay Centre has always promoted women through opportunities for academic, human and spiritual formation in a predominantly male environment – pontifical universities and Vatican offices in Rome, for example. We will continue to do so.
In particular, we aim to connect donors with individuals who need scholarships or fellowships to fulfill their dreams of studying in Rome and serving the Church in teaching, in the development of Christian thought, in dialogue between people coming from different cultures and faith backgrounds, in the professional world, in law, in communications, in pastoral ministry.
The Church that Pope Francis is building through synodality requires greater knowledge, autonomy, participation, and responsibility from the laity. Here, with opportunities for personal development and community life, we strive to help individuals acquire these essential qualities, while experiencing the global Church, that is, the universality of the Church, which is tangible in Rome.
Third point
To conclude, I believe that in order to promote women in the Church, we need to focus more on three key concepts, or “3 Vs,” that will help us move forward: Visibility, Voice, and Vocation.
Visibility refers to making visible the women who already hold significant roles in the Church today. During the 2018 Synod on Young People, which I attended, many young women shared that they could not find female role models within the Church to imitate or look up to. They noted that most of the visible leadership roles are occupied by men.
Additionally, they pointed out that while the Church is very clear about what women should not do, women are not always given the opportunity to demonstrate what they are capable of doing.
We need to give more visibility to the positive examples that already exist.
It is also essential to give a Voice to those women who have not been heard, either because they are marginalized, in the “geographical and existential peripheries,” as Pope Francis says, or because they simply have not had the opportunity to speak.
There are countless new talents in small and underdeveloped communities that, with some investment, could make a much greater impact, both in scale and depth.
Many young people struggle to discern what to do in the future and in which direction to take their lives – their Vocation.
They are often engaged in temporary projects, living in the present, but the prospect of the future, sooner or later, becomes a heavy burden and even a source of anxiety if it is not carefully considered. In the case of women, especially if they are placed in predominantly male contexts, this lack of vocational clarity can lead to great concern, discomfort, and internal conflict.
It is essential to provide opportunities for ongoing individual support – whether in the spiritual, psychological, or academic realms, and training opportunities that help them discern their vocation and pursue their goals.
Here I recall The Lay Centre’s four core values: faith, hospitality, dialogue and care for our common home. Caring for each other, inspired by these values, gives us at The Lay Centre a deep sense of purpose to go forth.
Obrigado,
Filipe Domingues
Director
