Mother's Day

This was written by our Parish Priest Fr Bruce Botha, and I would like to share with you:

Happy Mother's Day to all of our Parish mothers. I hope that today your husbands and chlldren will spoil you terribly. I think it's only fair because so often it seems as though the other 364 days are all men's days.

It is good that we celebrate these significant women in our lives, but I hope it also encourages us to reflect on how women are treated in general in our community or society. I am sure you have heard some of the proposals to reduce the number of public holidays in South Africa. One group has suggested we do away with Women's Day because women in South Africa don't have much reason to celebrate.

All too often it is they who are left holding the baby when the man has had his fun. All too often it is the grandmothers of our community who have to look after their grandchildren. It is women who bear the disproportionate burden of harassment, sexual violence, rape and domestic abuse.

Maybe they are right in saying that women don't have much to celebrate, but while that may be true today it is not necessarily true for tomorrow. Tomorrow is what we make it, so if we can be committed to a society of respect and justice, then every day could be a Women's Day or Mother's Day or Father's Day or Children's Day or just plain old People's Day.