Sacred Heart Church celebrates Women’s Day

International Women’s Day (IWD) is celebrated on March 8 as a means to eliminate discrimination against women and to help women gain full and equal participation in global development. The theme for IWD 2020 was Generation Equality: Realising Women’s Rights, with the hash tag #EachforEqual.

Mar 21, 2020

KUALA LUMPUR: International Women’s Day (IWD) is celebrated on March 8 as a means to eliminate discrimination against women and to help women gain full and equal participation in global development. The theme for IWD 2020 was Generation Equality: Realising Women’s Rights, with the hash tag #EachforEqual.

The Women’s Ministry of the Church of the Sacred Heart (SHC) had a two-day IWD celebration which began on March 7 with Mass, preceded by recitation of the Rosary and Litany to Our Lady of Good Health. Petitions were also offered during Mass.

The video presentation by the United Nations Entity for Gender Equality and the Empowerment of Women, also known as UN Women, traced the global history of women’s rights and reminded us that women are leaders, peacemakers, change makers and caregivers. There has been much progress but till this day, women and girls are still forced to fight for their rights.

Sr Elizabeth John, DSP, beautifully moderated an interactive session on what it means to be Sent With Joy To Heal. Inspiration came in the form of a touching testimony by 47-year-old Phan Thi Kim Phuc. Kim was a napalm bomb victim when she was nine, her skin was burnt and scarred. Sr Elizabeth asked us to reflect on what happened to Kim and what changed her.

According to Kim, she had even contemplated suicide because of pain and hopelessness but her Christian faith helped her to  forgive and find peace. Kim’s most poignant statement must surely be: Wow Kim, you can forgive; that means you can love. In her suffering, she had encountered God.

All of us need to be joyful if we are to play our role as healers. Whatever our life situation, we need to let God heal us so that we can then heal others. A healer needs joy which can only come from forgiving others and ourselves. We too can share Kim’s journey and become better persons for others.

Sr Elizabeth encouraged us to spend time to read the Word of God to guide us in our decisions and actions. Referring to John 14: 6, she asked how Jesus is the Way, the Truth and the Life? Jesus is the Way: is the way I am going God’s way or my way? Jesus is the Truth: the Word of God is the truth. Jesus is the Life: will my actions or service bring life?

Fellowship time saw ladies and girls share a meal of home-cooked nasi lemak, coffee,  brownies and the celebration cake. Members of the Women’s Ministry also presented food packs to the nurses and patients at the Good Health Dialysis Centre. The mehendi and manicure service added to the fun. All present received bracelets and paper roses.

Dr Melissa Perry facilitated an interesting session on gender identity. For many of us, it was probably the first time we became aware that gender is culturally, socially and historically constructed. We have been conditioned to associate gender with specific colours, clothing and toys we give to our children.

Two questions from Dr Melissa really set us thinking about our identity as women: what are you celebrating today and what does being a woman mean to you? We assign traditional feminine stereotypes to ourselves, such as not being aggressive, dependent, submissive, kind, nurturing, caring. In contrast, we describe men as strong, analytical, less sensitive. Such gender stere otyping is the outcome of the way we were parented and the way we now play our own parenting role and our decision making.

The celebrations continued on Sunday March 8, with refreshments, games and line dancing. It was an opportune moment to celebrate with mothers of our Sunday school children. The activities generated greater awareness of the Women’s Ministry in the parish, with many requesting for similar fun activities in the future.

We are grateful for the encouragement of our Parish Priest, Fr Edwin Peter, and the support of members of the Women’s Ministry for the successful celebration of International Women’s and Girls’ Day 2020.  According to the Catechism of the Catholic Church, the Church leaves no room for doubt that men and women are accorded the same dignity and are equal. --Women’s Ministry, Parish of the Sacred Heart of Jesus, KL

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