Feminine Genius: Who, Me?

Maria V. Gallagher shares uplifting words from St. John Paul II's trailblazing work on the ways women bless their families, workplaces, and the world.

I recall when I first heard the phrase “feminine genius.” I thought it was brilliant, and all the more incredible considering the source: Pope John Paul II. But I did not think it applied to me. After all, you should have seen my SAT scores — not exactly in the genius category. I wondered what the Holy Father might be trying to convey.

In the years since, I have found myself inspired by homeschooling moms who also give phenomenal faith talks … mothers who write books in between meal prep … and even one mother known for launching out into the exciting (and scary) world of stand-up comedy. These mothers have caused me to draw the conclusion that we are experiencing a “feminine genius movement.”

In his trailblazing Letter to Women, Pope John Paul II (who is now a saint), expressed heartfelt gratitude to women who were serving in various different capacities in society. I believe that what he wrote is even truer today than when he first composed it. As you read his words, I hope you will be uplifted and affirmed:

Thank you, women who are mothers! You have sheltered human beings within yourselves in a unique experience of joy and travail. This experience makes you become God's own smile upon the newborn child, the one who guides your child's first steps, who helps it to grow, and who is the anchor as the child makes its way along the journey of life.

Thank you, women who are wives! You irrevocably join your future to that of your husbands, in a relationship of mutual giving, at the service of love and life.

Thank you, women who are daughters and women who are sisters! Into the heart of the family, and then of all society, you bring the richness of your sensitivity, your intuitiveness, your generosity and fidelity.

Thank you, women who work! You are present and active in every area of life-social, economic, cultural, artistic and political. In this way you make an indispensable contribution to the growth of a culture which unites reason and feeling, to a model of life ever open to the sense of ‘mystery’, to the establishment of economic and political structures ever more worthy of humanity.

And on those days when your laundry pile is rising even as your energy is dwindling, consider this mood-booster from the modern saint:

Thank you, every woman, for the simple fact of being a woman! Through the insight which is so much a part of your womanhood you enrich the world's understanding and help to make human relations more honest and authentic.

Through feminine genius, our homes can flourish … workplaces can become a bit more hospitable … and public affairs can be more family-friendly. The imagination and versatility inherent in the feminine genius can inspire us to use our unique God-given talents to bless our families, our communities, and our nation.

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The imagination and versatility inherent in the feminine genius can inspire us to use our unique God-given talents to bless our families, our communities, and our nation. #catholicmom

So I leave you with this question: How can you exercise your feminine genius today?

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