I am a mother

And I am the mother of nine daughters.

As March 8th approaches, I can’t help but think about them. About the world they inherit. About the voices that tell them who they should be, how to measure their success. But above all, I think about something deeper: their need for genuine, inclusive, and inspiring role models, where they can see themselves without fear or insecurity.

That’s why this  campaign by the Catholic Association of Propagandists  seems like a breath of fresh air to me.

Under the motto “Seek holiness,” she reminds us of something that sounds almost revolutionary today: feminine greatness is not a single mold or a narrow ideology. It is breadth. It is vocation. It is true freedom.

Faith does not imprison. It does not diminish. It does not set limits.

There is the  Virgin Mary , a silent model of strength and trust, sustaining history without the need for spotlights.

There is  Saint Teresa of Jesus : character, intelligence, founder, writer, woman with pure passion for God who did not ask permission to reform anything.

There is  Saint Monica , a persevering mother, sustaining her home with tears that were prayer.

There is  Isabella the Catholic , governing in decisive times, assuming historical responsibilities without renouncing her faith.

There is  Mother Teresa , radical in her dedication, embracing the rawest misery without losing her smile.

Family. Public life. Contemplation. Government. Service. History. Unique women, with different paths, diverse vocations, decisions that unfolded in very different times and places.

Faith didn’t make them smaller. It made them freer. Braver. More whole.

My daughters, whatever you decide—intense professional life, marriage and motherhood, consecrated mission, social commitment—don’t let anyone tell you that faith limits you.

Following the path set by the Lord guarantees you will have the best version of your life.

Thanks to  the ACdP campaign  for showing us such diverse women, with unique vocations and missions, who lived in very different times, places, and circumstances. But there is a thread that unites them: a common denominator: living with their eyes on heaven, a principle that will continue to serve all women, no matter what happens and wherever they are, for those of today, for those of tomorrow, for you…for those who will come after.

Thank you from a mother of nine daughters to ACdP.