Archbishop of Sydney

Mothers' Day 2002

By + George Pell
ARCHBISHOP OF SYDNEY
12 May 2002

a preached on St. Monica, the mother of St. Augustine, a North African bishop who died around 430 A.D. He was probably the greatest theologian of the first 1000 years after Christ.

His father was not a Christian, and Augustine grew up brilliant and wild. "The brambles of lust" grew high over him, but he settled down eventually to life with a partner and an unplanned child. He is best remembered for his prayer "Give my chastity and continence, but not yet" as he moved towards conversion and baptism in Milan in 387. The baptistery used is still under the Cathedral.

a commended Monica to the girls as a formidable woman, a chip off the same block as her son, who followed him for years with her prayers and cajoling, urging him back to the faith of his childhood (although he had not been baptised).

My sermon did not go down well with some of the teachers, although the students seemed to cope. While they did not complain about Monica's religious zeal (this might have been a subtext) they felt my emphasis on Monica's role as a mother was misleading and inappropriate.

It was strongly implied that praising motherhood implied disapproval of education for women, opposition to working mothers and perhaps to all the gains in equality for woman over the past years. None of this was true for me and a was able to answer truthfully that a had given the eleven best years of my life in tertiary education, where most of my students were women.

The objections pointed up a change in public opinion, in acceptable ways of speaking, which has occurred in my lifetime. In a few quarters it is not wise to speak too enthusiastically about mothers and motherhood.

This is not true among the majority of people as the popularity of Mothers' Day demonstrates. Generally individuals are overwhelmingly grateful for what they received from their mothers.

Fifty years ago it was possible to rebuke another by claiming the views expressed were a "motherhood statement", not worth uttering, because that was what everyone believed. This is no longer true.

Being a mother often seems now to be low down on the pecking order of importance, much less important and glamorous than a good, well-paying job. Even strong wives can be tempted to identify themselves as "just a mother", "just a homemaker".

a good mother is probably the greatest advantage in life a man or a woman can enjoy, usually more important (marginally) even than having a good father.

Adults realise that their parents were imperfect, an important part of growing up. Some realise that they were short-changed as children, but that too can be an effective spur to avoid making the same mistakes and to becoming effective loving parents.

Catholics have a particular respect for motherhood, reverencing Mary the mother of Jesus as humankind's greatest saint. No man is God's father, but Mary is honoured as Mother of God because Jesus is divine.

Mothers are of first importance. We thank them all and ask God's blessing for them.