A ray of light for young women and girls

DELA CERNA

Every year the campaign to end violence against women is launched from November 25 to December 10.

The beginning and the end dates are significant because November 25 is the feast of Saint Catherine of Alexandria, Virgin and Martyr, considered the patroness of young women and girls while December 10 is International Human Rights Day.

My childhood and adolescence were very much influenced by two schools named after two great women saints, and they, in a way, also provide inspiration.

I studied from kindergarten to high school in a school named after Saint Catherine but never learned anything about her except for her violent death (she was beheaded after a wheel could not crash her). She is also the patroness of the town I come from , Carcar. In college, I studied in a school named also after a great saint, St. Teresa of Avila.

When I developed advocacy for women’s rights and concerns, I also looked into the lives of these two women saints – one was very young while the other reached a mature age. Much has been written and discussed about Teresa of Avila.

What attracted me to St. Catherine was that she was very young (she was eighteen), beautiful, learned in science, articulate that she is considered the patroness of preachers and orators, debaters. Her strong faith converted many people to Christianity.

Perhaps, the organizers were not aware of the significance of November 25, but ever since, the campaign started I always tell people about St. Catherine. In the age where young women and girls emulate their idols, maybe the campaign could start with looking into the life and legacy of Catherine of Alexandria.

She used her youth and talents for the good of the community while preserving her beauty and chastity. Because of these, she has been named Patroness of Young Women and Girls, a fitting gift for young women and girls who are the most vulnerable to all forms of gender-related violence.

The campaign needs a strong spiritual dimension not just physical, legal or economic support. The present conditions and times are not different from that of Catherine’s for many young women and girls have been martyred by individuals, groups or states.

Following her pursuit and practice of learning, facing the great odds could serve as motivations for young women and girls as they venture into the world, This includes education for girls not just in the elementary level but until whatever level she could muster.

The lack of education of millions of girls makes them very vulnerable to exploitation. This includes lack of knowledge of human rights. It is just fitting that the campaign ends on International Human Rights Day for the core of the campaign is Human Rights.

The campaign also happens during the season of Advent and what better way to prepare the way than to reflect, recollect, and resolve to make a better world. Strengthening our young women and girls to fully develop their talents without fear of intimidation, making them confident and headstrong should be our prayer for this season.

If we could make millions of young women and girls educated, confident, secure, headstrong, socially conscious, then the world can breathe a sigh of relief. In the struggle against violence against women, let us not forget to call upon Saint Catherine of Alexandria who died a violent death at a very young age for her faith and determination.

On the other hand, something should also be done for the young men and boys to make them gender-sensitive. It all starts in the home. This will be another discussion.

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I congratulate the newly ordained Redemptorist priests, Rev. Fr. Ferderiz Cantiller, CSsR and Rev. Fr. Jumel Baring, CSsR. They were ordained yesterday and today they held their Thanksgiving Mass (9:30 a.m. for Fr. Baring and 10:45 a.m. for Fr. Cantiller) at the Redemptorist Church, Cebu City. All our prayers as you go through your ministry!