The miracle of motherhood is undeniably the gift of God to women.
Many of us have experienced the reality of what Mother Teresa of Calcutta captured when she explained that the “special power of loving that belongs to a woman is seen most clearly when she becomes a mother.
How grateful we must be to God for this wonderful gift that brings such joy to the whole world, women and men alike!”.
As we prepare to celebrate mothers everywhere (birth mothers, stepmothers, adoptive mothers, godmothers, grandmothers, spiritual mothers, and of course our Blessed Mother), one need not look far to see the multi-generational impact that women have on society through their vocation as mothers.
This ordinarily starts in the home with children—what we call the domestic church.
However, through witness, prayer, and discipline, a mother’s heart often has a ripple effect on the wider parish and society at large.
In a general audience on 7 January 2015, Pope Francis said, “a society without mothers would be a dehumanised society, for mothers are always, even in the worst moments, witnesses of tenderness, dedication and moral strength… Dearest mothers, thank you for what you are in your family and for what you give to the church and the world.”
Notwithstanding the indescribable joy that motherhood often brings, the winding journey can at times present mothers with challenges beyond that which we might have expected, gently shaping us to grow in virtue.
In times of joy, sorrow, doubt, grief, happiness and everything in between throughout our journey of motherhood, there is no greater model than our Blessed Lady who is not only Theotokos (Mother of God), but also our mother—mother of the church.
Catholic Women’s Network (CWN) in the Sydney Centre for Evangelisation exists to help Catholic women live out St Catherine of Siena’s call to “be who God created you to be and you will set the world on fire”.
We support Catholic women in Sydney and beyond in living faith-filled lives. CWN seeks to support and enrich Catholic women by creating new opportunities, programs and initiatives.
We help to build further community and support by connecting individual women to each other and existing women’s ministries.
Motherhood is a unique time in a woman’s life—a time which requires unique spiritual, pastoral, social and practical support.
Please reach out to our Catholic Women’s Network to get connected and start journeying with fellow Catholic mothers. Find us at https://www.catholicwomensnetwork.org/