Holiness Gender Gap

Some minority groups have recently been clamoring to narrow the gap stemming from the discrimination of women from certain advantages (e.g. salary, professional positions, and competitions, etc.)

Sadly, there are institutions and situations that ostracize women in various fields of work and talent. The mere fact of being a woman can never be the basis of discrediting their capacity and contribution to society at large.

Fortunately, these voices are being heard and unjust structures are being investigated for having ridiculed and undermined the woman’s role in areas misconceived as exclusive for men.

In this clamor for equality, however, there is the danger –which is becoming more rampant– of overstressing a social inequality that can only be resolved if men and women were given absolute equality in all professional, cultural and social levels.

There is nothing wrong about fighting for equality, but there is a need to define what we mean by equality. Jordan Peterson, a highly controversial educator, would clarify: there is nothing wrong with equality of opportunities (e.g. that everyone should have equal access to positions or goals).

It would be wrong, however, to demand for an equality of outcome. This is unreasonable because all individuals are uniquely different, and their performance and evaluation can never be identical. There will always be those who will out-perform the others.

I wondered if this clamor for gender equality could also be thrown at the canonized men and women of the Church. I have not diligently verified, but it seems the facts reveal that there are more men saints than women. Would it then be correct to ask the Church to somehow equalize the outcome?

Obviously, the Church has no say on who is and will become a saint. Her role is to verify whether this man or woman has indeed lived the virtues heroically. Moreover, she investigates if the individual has interceded in some miracle in our favor. In the end, the Church humbly admits that only God can make a saint.

The opportunity, however, to become saints is open to everyone. Pope Francis, in his recent exhortation reminds and invites all to heed God’s call to sanctity addressed to every man and woman.

In a very attractive way, he subtitles it as ‘The Saints Next Door’. He wishes to emphasize that holiness cannot be reduced to a state for a selected few. He says:

“I like to contemplate the holiness present in the patience of God’s people: in those parents who raise their children with immense love, in those men and women who work hard to support their families, in the sick, in elderly religious who never lose their smile. (…) Very often it is a holiness found in our next-door neighbors, those who, living in our midst, reflect God’s presence. We might call them “the middle class of holiness” (Gaudete et exultate, no. 7)”

The outcome of holiness is distinct for each person. What is important is that each one has find his unique path. Pope Francis continues:

“We should not grow discouraged before examples of holiness that appear unattainable. There are some testimonies that may prove helpful and inspiring, but that we are not meant to copy, for that could even lead us astray from the one specific path that the Lord has in mind for us. (Ibid. no. 11)”

This is what makes our Lord’s invitation to holiness exciting! It is an adventure of faith, hope and love that will be dynamically charged with each person’s unique circumstances and talents. It is this visible and invisible contribution that will make “holiness the most attractive face of the Church. (Ibid. no. 9)