Women and children

Fr Chris Saenz (back row fifth from left) with Columban priests and lay missionaries in Chile. - Photo: St Columbans Mission SocietyFr Chris Saenz (back row fifth from left) with Columban priests and lay missionaries in Chile. - Photo: St Columbans Mission Society

One summer, as a seminarian, I was a chaplain in a level-one trauma centre at Mount Sinai Hospital in Chicago, USA. Generally, I attended the emergency room section. However, at one point, I asked to visit the maternity ward because I speak Spanish, and many of the women were Spanish speaking only.

I was hesitant about going, wondering what, as a man, I could talk about with them. On my first visit, I felt the conversations were awkward. Often, I was at a loss for words. Later I shared my experience with a group of chaplains. The female chaplains inquired about what I was asking the women. Did I ask how long the labour was? How difficult? How much did the baby weigh? Of course, those questions did not occur to me.

When I went back to the maternity ward, I made these inquiries, and the conversations changed. They were more engaging. The mothers wanted to talk about their experiences of birth.

As a priest in Chile, I had a remarkable experience of being a friend to Rosa, a poor woman who suffered from depression. She had lost custody of her two children because she could not keep a job due to her psychological condition. Rosa made a living by selling small handicrafts she made in the little choza (shack) where she lived. Often, she would come by the parish to converse with me about her difficult life.

Her only desire was to regain custody of her two children. I took pity on her and prayed that her life would become better. One day she came to share some exciting news with me. I wondered if she had regained custody of her two children. Not so. Rosa wanted to share the news that she was pregnant with twins!

I thought this was a divine joke and wondered how this woman could handle such a burden. Yet, looking into her face, she was radiant with joy. Rosa proclaimed, “I am so happy that God considers me worthy enough to still give life. At that moment, I felt like Elizabeth receiving Mary’s news of the Incarnation!” Rosa wanted to rejoice with a friend, and I was honoured to be that friend.

Lastly, a couple of years ago, I was sitting with a relative, listening to her struggles with menopause. She asked, “Do you priests get training in how to accompany women struggling with menopause?” I searched my head and realised that we do not. She inquired, “Aren’t women the majority of the people in the Church? How can you not get some sort of training in this issue?”

She was right. As a priest, women are our valuable partners in mission. As in the gospels, women were the main supporters of Jesus' mission (Luke 8: 1–3) and accompanied him, even to the Crucifixion (Luke 23: 49). As missionaries, we wish to recognise the valuable contribution women and children make and our need to support their needs adequately. It was a trademark of Jesus’ ministry, and he asks us to imitate him.

Fr Chris Saenz is Regional Director of St Columbans Mission Society in the United States.

Listen to "Women and children"

Related links

The Far East - New Subscription

Code : 4

In Stock | MAGAZINE SUBSCRIPTION

$6.00  

Annual subscription to The Far East magazine, published by St Columbans Mission Society 8 times per year. It features mission articles and photographs by Columban Missionaries from the countries where they work.

 

See all products