Grabowski Spouses (USCCB), “The difference between man and woman and the complementarity between father and mother are gifts of God for the family’s good”

In the context of the Dublin World Meeting of Families, which will continue until August 26^th, Claire and John Grabowski, of the Committee on Laity, Marriage, Family and Youth of the United States’ Conference of Catholic Bishops, participated today in the Pastoral Congress and, in particular, during the panel on the importance of the mother-father complementarity expressed in Amoris Laetitia. The began by noting that Pope Francis “makes an important distinction: ‘biological sex and the socio-cultural role of sex (gender) can be distinct but not separate’.” Parents and teachers by profession, the Grabowskis emphasize the “profound effect” that “the testimony of the differences of their parents as men and women and their mutual love and cooperation” has in the education of children.

“In family life,” they say, “the parental task of sustaining life and building relationships is essential, especially for women and mothers, whose innate genius, the experience of pregnancy and the special love it produces cannot be underestimated or ignored in the quest for equality.” Thus, while women provide the educational basis for their children, also by transmitting the faith, men “often complete this concept by establishing boundaries, promoting healthy risk-taking, and serving their families through work.” However, fathers also play “a fundamental role in shaping and transmitting the faith.” This is why the Pope states that the father is just “as necessary as a caring mother.” Now, if this is the general norm, Francis nevertheless admits “a certain flexibility of roles and responsibilities, according to the concrete circumstances of each particular family.” However, the speakers conclude, “only women can be mothers and only men can be fathers, each with their own distinctive gifts. Our differences as men and women are important gifts of God for the good and service of the family.”