Don’t Forget the Women of Ukraine

Letters to the editor

Don’t Forget the Women of Ukraine

Volume 37  Issue 1, 2 & 3 | Posted: April 5, 2022

Indoor portrait of young girl with blue and yellow ukrainian flag on her cheek wearing military uniform, mandatory conscription in Ukraine, equality concepts.

The Editor:

I am a Ukrainian Catholic who lives in Dauphin, Manitoba. It warmed my heart to see our two local Ukrainian Churches – Orthodox and Catholic – bring community together for a rally to pray for our ancestral homeland.

As much as I saw this as a positive, it was painful to absorb that even at a community service in a time of war, neither of the priests (male) spoke with inclusive language. I look to the news and see Ukrainian women in leadership, Ukrainian women on the front lines, Ukrainian women preparing food for people on the front lines, Ukrainian women crossing international borders alone with their children to save them from war, and for me – most poignantly, Ukrainian women giving birth in bunkers underground or worse. I wonder how many of these women are destined to become single parents, future sole nurturers, bread winners and providers for their families.

I don’t have words to express how hurtful it was not to hear the words ‘sisters and brothers’, or she with the he and her alongside the him. This is 2022. What kind of leadership are we as Christian community providing for the world when we persist in clinging to a past that failed to acknowledge the full humanity of women. I find it difficult to be part of Church community because of what I see as its depravity on account of exclusion of women. To come face to face with this in such dire circumstances makes this hurt even more.

I hope that my short note will provide some food for thought. Power to your work for ecumenical and what I hope is also inter-faith effort. This is so important in these trying times all over the world. Please don’t forget about the other half of humanity – women. We are in solidarity and stand shoulder to shoulder with our brothers in moving the work of good forward in the world.

When we say ‘Glory to the heroes of Ukraine’, let us also include women.

Wishing you peace, blessings and all that is good,

Therese Koturbash, Dauphin, MB
Member, Catholic Network for Women’s Equality