By
Ryan
Denson
While
“Christian” Republicans continue to wage war on equal pay for equal work, a
true Christian is taking a stance against the discriminatory pay gap.
Pope
Francis sounded off on his support for
equal pay for equal work between men and women, and called the current
wage-gap “pure scandal.”
According to Vatican Radio, Francis called on
Catholics around the world to adhere to “the Christian seed of radical equality
between men and women.” Christians, he said, must “become more demanding”
for “radical equality…by supporting the right of equal pay for equal work.”
The
Pope continued:
“Why should it be taken for granted that women must earn less than men? The disparity is pure scandal. The witness of the social dignity of marriage shall become persuasive, precisely by this way: the way of witness that attracts.”
The
Pope also took a surprisingly progressive stance supporting
the women’s rights movement.
While many evangelicals (like Phyllis Schlafly) have
blamed the decline of marriage on feminists and independent women’s groups,
Francis simply denounced such a notion as an “insult” that is “not true,”
adding that to think so “is a form of chauvinism that always wants to control
the woman.”
Can
this Catholic Pope please tell this to Catholic Justices Scalia, Roberts,
Thomas, Alito and Kennedy?
John
Carr, head of social justice for the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops,
defended the Pope’s statements, saying:
“Others talk about the moral pressures on families, but he also focuses on the economic issues. He is stating it in the context of the importance of the family, and he considers economic justice essential to the family.”
How
sad it is when the leader of the Catholic Church, seen as one of the most
traditional and pious organizations in the world, is somewhat more progressive
than the “Christian” leaders in the United States?
While Republicans try to
block equal pay continuously, it is very refreshing to hear a real voice for
change not asking, but literally demanding that women make the same as their
male counterparts.
Although
Francis’s words are impressive, and indeed welcomed, uncertainty lingers as to
how sincere they really are, seeing as though women cannot serve in the Church
as priests, deacons, cardinals or bishops.
Although the status quo in the
Church is most likely far from being changed, Francis has expressed opposition to
women becoming cardinals, saying “Women in the Church must be valued not
‘clericalised.’ Whoever thinks of women as cardinals suffers a bit from
clericalism.”
While
Francis’s comments are amazing and certainly progressive, he has some things he
needs to face too.
Author Ryan Denson - Living blue in a red state (hopefully it will be
purple in the next 10 years). You can reach me at rdenson211@gmail.com