Benedict XVI's Council today 18 September 2020

Benedict XVI
pope from 2005 to 2013

General Audience, February 14, 2007 (transl. © Libreria Editrice Vaticana)
"The Twelve were with him and some women"
Even in the context of the primitive Church the presence of women is anything but secondary. (…) A broader documentation on the dignity and ecclesial role of women can be found in Saint Paul. He starts from the fundamental principle, according to which for the baptized not only "there is no longer either Jew or Greek, neither slave nor free", but also "neither male nor female". The reason is that "we are all one in Christ Jesus" (Gal 3,28:1), that is, all united in the same basic dignity, although each with specific functions (cf. 12,27 Cor 30: 1-11,5). The Apostle admits as normal that in the Christian community women can "prophesy" (XNUMX Cor XNUMX: XNUMX), that is, speak openly under the influence of the Spirit, provided this is for the edification of the community and done in a dignified way. (...)

We have already encountered the figure of Prisca or Priscilla, wife of Aquila, who in two cases is surprisingly mentioned before her husband (cf.Acts 18,18; Rm 16,3): both are explicitly qualified by Paul as his "collaborators" (Rm 16,3) ... It is also necessary to take note, for example, that the short Letter to Philemon is actually addressed by Paul also to a woman named "Affia" (cf. Fm 2) ​​... In the community of Colossi she had to occupy a prominent place; in any case, she is the only woman mentioned by Paolo among the addressees of one of his letters. Elsewhere the Apostle mentions a certain "Phoebe", qualified as diákonos of the Church of Cencre… (cf. Rom 16,1: 2-16,6.12). Although the title at that time did not yet have a specific ministerial value of a hierarchical type, it expresses a real exercise of responsibility by this woman in favor of that Christian community ... In the same epistolary context the Apostle remembers other names of women: a certain Maria, then Trifena, Trifosa and Perside «dearest», in addition to Julia (Rm 12a.15b.4,2). (...) In the Church of Philippi then two women named "Evodia and Syntic" had to be distinguished (Phil XNUMX: XNUMX): Paul's reference to mutual harmony suggests that the two women played an important role within that community . Basically, the history of Christianity would have had a very different development had it not been for the generous contribution of many women.