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Women should become economically secure: Bishop

Staff Correspondent

Advice: Bishop of Mangalore Aloysius Paul D’Souza speaking at a function in Brahmavar on Wednesday.

Brahmavar (Udupi District): Bishop of Mangalore Aloysius Paul D’Souza has said women should become economically independent and stand on their own feet. He was speaking at the inaugural function of the Diocesan Council of Catholic Women (DCCW) here on Wednesday.

Rev. D’Souza said that women faced a lot of exploitation in society.

The DCCW should instil confidence in women so that they could come forward and become financially secure. One way of helping women become economically independent was through self-help groups (SHGs). “Women enjoy a lot of rights, but it is necessary to make them aware of these rights,” he said.

Rev. D’Souza said that it was the responsibility of parents to provide proper education to their daughters. Mothers had the highest status in a family and also carried the onerous responsibility of bringing up their children.

“Education will go a long way in empowering women. Efforts should be made to build a society based on good values,” he said.

The conference began with a woman carrying a basket in which there were various brick-like articles. The various problems faced by women such as political inequality, lack of love and opportunities, fear, dowry, and exploitation, were written on these bricks. The woman went to Rev. D’Souza, who helped her take the basket (of problems) off her head.

President of the DCCW Leena Roche, priest of the Barkur church Remezes Aranha, Ronald Cutinho, Leena Fernandes, Dennis Saldanha, Clara Lewis, Veronica Carnelio, John M., Sister Marriot, Mabel D’Souza, Gladys Menezes, Renne Pinto, Philomena D’Souza, and Renita D’Souza, were present.

Nearly 1,000 Catholic women from Udupi, Karkala, Puttur, Belthangady, Mangalore, Kasaragod and other places participated in the conference.

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