"The Church cannot be understood without them."

Source: Vatican News

Pope Francis dedicates his February 2022 prayer video to religious sisters and consecrated women. He says: "The Church cannot be understood without them."

Encouraging all consecrated women to discern how best they can respond to the challenges facing humanity, he says:

"I exhort them to keep working and to have an impact with the poor, with the marginalized, with all those who are enslaved by traffickers," he said. "I especially ask them to make an impact on this."

Pope Francis also prayed for the many women religious who "show the beauty of God's love and compassion" through their ministry as catechists, theologians, and spiritual guides, even when they encounter obstacles.

"I invite them to fight when, in some cases, they are treated unfairly, even within the Church, when they serve so much that they are reduced to servitude - at times, by men of the Church."

When faced with these difficulties, women religious should "not be discouraged," said the Pope. "May you keep making God's goodness known through the apostolic works you do. But above all through your witness of consecration."

The full text follows:

“This month, we will pray in a special way for religious sisters and consecrated women.

What would the Church be without religious sisters and consecrated laywomen? The Church cannot be understood without them.

I encourage all consecrated women to discern and choose what is best for their mission in the face of the world's challenges that we're experiencing.

I exhort them to keep working and to have an impact with the poor, with the marginalized, with all those who are enslaved by traffickers; I especially ask them to make an impact on this.

And let us pray that they may show the beauty of God's love and compassion as catechists, theologians, and spiritual guides.

I invite them to fight when, in some cases, they are treated unfairly, even within the Church; when they serve so much that they are reduced to servitude - at times, by men of the Church.

Do not be discouraged. May you keep making God's goodness known through the apostolic works you do. But above all through your witness of consecration.

Let us pray for religious sisters and consecrated women, thanking them for their mission and their courage; may they continue to find new responses to the challenges of our times.

Thank you for what you are, for what you do, and for how you do it.”

(The video is available to view on the homepage of www.corew.org)