• Skip to main content
  • Skip to secondary menu
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Skip to footer
Catholic Review

Catholic Review

Inspiring the Archdiocese of Baltimore

Menu
  • Home
  • News
        • Local News
        • World News
        • Vatican News
        • Obituaries
        • Featured Video
        • En Español
        • Sports News
        • Official Clergy Assignments
        • Schools News
  • Commentary
        • Contributors
          • Question Corner
          • George Weigel
          • Elizabeth Scalia
          • Michael R. Heinlein
          • Effie Caldarola
          • Guest Commentary
        • CR Columnists
          • Archbishop William E. Lori
          • Rita Buettner
          • Christopher Gunty
          • George Matysek Jr.
          • Mark Viviano
          • Father Joseph Breighner
          • Father Collin Poston
          • Robyn Barberry
          • Hanael Bianchi
          • Amen Columns
  • Entertainment
        • Events
        • Movie & Television Reviews
        • Arts & Culture
        • Books
        • Recipes
  • About Us
        • Contact Us
        • Our History
        • Meet Our Staff
        • Photos to own
        • Books/CDs/Prayer Cards
        • CR Media platforms
        • Electronic Edition
  • Advertising
  • Shop
        • Purchase Photos
        • Books/CDs/Prayer Cards
        • Magazine Subscriptions
        • Archdiocesan Directory
  • CR Radio
        • CR Radio
        • Protagonistas de Fe
  • News Tips
  • Subscribe
Pope Francis speaks with reporters on the flight back to Rome from Bahrain Nov. 6, 2022. (CNS photo/Maurizio Brambatti pool via Reuters)

Pope: Chauvinism kills human progress; fight for equal rights must go on

November 7, 2022
By Carol Glatz
Catholic News Service
Filed Under: Feature, News, Vatican, World News

Share
Share on Facebook
Share
Share this
Pin
Pin this
Share
Share on LinkedIn

ABOARD THE PAPAL FLIGHT FROM BAHRAIN (CNS) — A society that does not give women the same rights and opportunities as men will become impoverished, Pope Francis said at the end of a four-day visit to Bahrain.

“Women are a gift,” he said. After God made man, he didn’t create “a lapdog for him to play with. No, he created two who are equal, a man and a woman.”

“All the rights of women stem from this equality,” he said, and a society that is not able to make room for women “does not move forward.”

The pope was speaking Nov. 6 to reporters in response to their questions after visiting the Muslim-majority nation of Bahrain in the Persian Gulf.

Pope Francis smiles as he speaks with reporters on the flight back to Rome from Bahrain Nov. 6, 2022. (CNS photo/Maurizio Brambatti pool via Reuters)

The aim of the trip, he said, was to experience moments of encounter and dialogue, with Muslims, Christians and Catholics. The majority of all residents are foreigners from many different countries, cultures and religions.

As a result of these moments of encounter and talks, he said, he learned something new, that this small nation boasts “a culture open to everyone” with “room for everyone,” including women, who, for example, all have the right to work.

The pope was then asked about the protests in Iran, which were sparked by young women and men fighting for more freedoms and reforms in the Shiite-led country, and whether he supported their efforts of demanding fundamental human rights.

He said, “The fight for rights for women is an ongoing battle because, in some places, women have achieved rights equal to men” and, elsewhere, they lag behind.

It was also not that long ago, he added, that women had to fight for the right to vote in his home country of Argentina, and women in the United States also had to battle for their right to vote.

“But why, I ask, do women have to fight like this to keep her rights?” he said.

Another violation that must be stopped, he said, is female genital mutilation. “How is it that in the world today we cannot stop” this practice? “It is a crime, a criminal act.”

The pope asked, “Are women objects to use and throwaway? This is terrible, right? Or are they a protected species?”

Instead it is a question of equality, which still has not been universally achieved, he said. Unfortunately, in some places, women are still considered and treated as “second-class” citizens or worse, and “we have to keep fighting this.”

Women are not inferior, “they are complementary,” he said, and this also means women should be bringing their own unique gifts and talent and must not try to be like men.

“A society that erases women from public life is a society that becomes impoverished,” he said.

“Equal rights, yes, also equal opportunities, equality in moving forward,” he said.

There is still a long way to go, he said, because there is so much chauvinism, which “kills humanity.”

The pope was asked whether the church was considering a change in the way it handles known perpetrators of abuse and those found guilty of its cover-up, specifically by making public those who have been sanctioned by the church when found guilty.

The pope did not address the question of providing greater transparency, but he said, “We are working in every way we can.”

“But we well know that there are people in the church who do not see things clearly, who do not agree,” so it is “a process” that requires courage, he added.

“The desire of the church is to clarify everything. For example, I received in the last few months two complaints of abuse that were covered up and the church did not handle it properly, so immediately I said to look into it again” and it will be re-investigated. So there will be a revisiting of judgments that were not handled well, he said.

Read More Vatican News

Vatican bank reports increased profits, charitable giving

UN secretary-general meets Pope Leo, top Vatican officials

Call out to Jesus for healing; he will hear you, pope says

Papal diplomats must always defend poor, religious freedom, pope says

Pope Leo’s core identity is Augustinian, say religious

Father Rupnik’s mosaics disappear from Vatican News

Copyright © 2022 Catholic News Service/U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops

Print Print

Share
Share on Facebook
Share
Share this
Pin
Pin this
Share
Share on LinkedIn

Primary Sidebar

Carol Glatz

Click here to view all posts from this author

For the latest news delivered twice a week via email or text message, sign up to receive our free enewsletter.

| MOST POPULAR |

  • Religious sisters played role in pope’s formation in grade school, N.J. province discovers

  • With an Augustinian in chair of St. Peter, order sees growing interest in vocations

  • Hundreds gather at Rebuilt Conference 2025 to ‘imagine what’s possible’ in parish ministry

  • Indiana Catholic shares story of his life-changing bond with friend who is now Pope Leo

  • Washington Archdiocese announces layoffs, spending cuts, restructuring

| Latest Local News |

OLPH’s fourth eucharistic procession, set for June 21, ‘speaks to the heart’

Franciscan Sister Francis Anita Rizzo, who served in Baltimore for 18 years, dies at 95

Hundreds gather at Rebuilt Conference 2025 to ‘imagine what’s possible’ in parish ministry

Radio Interview: Dominican sister at Mount de Sales shares faith journey from astrophysics to religious life

Mount de Sales Dominican sister shares journey after pursuing science, finding faith 

| Latest World News |

Prayers continue for release of abducted Nigerian priest who recently served in Alaska

Kyiv’s historic cathedral damaged in Russian air strikes

Vatican bank reports increased profits, charitable giving

UN secretary-general meets Pope Leo, top Vatican officials

Call out to Jesus for healing; he will hear you, pope says

| Catholic Review Radio |

CatholicReview · Catholic Review Radio

Footer

Our Vision

Real Life. Real Faith. 

Catholic Review Media communicates the Gospel and its impact on people’s lives in the Archdiocese of Baltimore and beyond.

Our Mission

Catholic Review Media provides intergenerational communications that inform, teach, inspire and engage Catholics and all of good will in the mission of Christ through diverse forms of media.

Contact

Catholic Review
320 Cathedral Street
Baltimore, MD 21201
443-524-3150
mail@CatholicReview.org

 

Social Media

  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • Twitter
  • YouTube

Recent

  • Prayers continue for release of abducted Nigerian priest who recently served in Alaska
  • Kyiv’s historic cathedral damaged in Russian air strikes
  • Vatican bank reports increased profits, charitable giving
  • UN secretary-general meets Pope Leo, top Vatican officials
  • Call out to Jesus for healing; he will hear you, pope says
  • Movie Review: ‘How to Train Your Dragon’
  • Yes, it’s our war, too
  • OLPH’s fourth eucharistic procession, set for June 21, ‘speaks to the heart’
  • Home viewing roundup: What’s available to stream and what’s on horizon

Search

Membership

Catholic Media Assocation

Maryland-Delaware-DC Press Association

The Associated Church Press

© 2025 CATHOLIC REVIEW MEDIA, ALL RIGHTS RESERVED

en Englishes Spanish
en en