CONVERSANO, Italy (LifeSiteNews) — An Italian archbishop’s homily praising Mary’s obedience to God triggered criticism on social media and reactions from feminists after a video of the sermon circulated online.
On December 20, during the fifth day of the Christmas Novena at the Cathedral of Conversano, Archbishop Giuseppe Laterza stated in a homily that the Virgin Mary was “the freest woman in the world” because she knew how to obey God. The remarks were recorded and livestreamed on social media and later shared by a local news outlet, prompting criticism from feminists who described the statements as “patriarchal.”
“Mary is truly free, free because she knows how to obey. Mary is the freest woman in the world because she knew how to obey,” Laterza said during his homily in Conversano. “We should say that to certain feminists.”
Among the most widely cited responses was that of Lorenzo Gasparrini, an Italian feminist philosopher. Interviewed by the daily newspaper La Stampa, Gasparrini strongly criticized the archbishop’s words. “Since for a long time the hierarchy of ecclesiastical power has been challenged at its dogmatic foundations, this hierarchy defends itself as it can,” Gasparrini said. “Even by saying nonsense, as in this case. Fortunately, many Catholics are far ahead of these ignorant and fearful prelates.”
The feminist described the homily in Conversano as “the manifestation of the political terror that has struck the Catholic hierarchy for years, which has been challenged by decades of studies and experiences.” According to Gasparrini, this attitude led the Church to “invent so-called gender theory and to begin systematically attacking feminisms, issues that until Ratzinger were not even remotely on the agenda.”
Gasparrini concluded his remarks by publicly insulting the Apostolic Nuncio: “He would have access to in-depth studies that have existed for decades, but one has to wonder whether someone who rambles on about Mary’s obedience like any Catholic fundamentalist influencer is even capable of understanding them. Let him drown in the ridicule of his ignorance.”
Gasparrini’s comments were shared extensively online and contributed to framing the episode as part of a broader confrontation between Catholic teachings and contemporary feminist discourse in Italy. Social media reactions included accusations that the archbishop’s interpretation of Mary reduced female freedom to submission, a theme frequently criticized by feminist movements.
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Archbishop Laterza, a canon lawyer, currently serves as Apostolic Nuncio to the Central African Republic and Chad, having been appointed to the role by Pope Francis in 2023. Following the controversy, he was interviewed by La Gazzetta del Mezzogiorno, the leading newspaper in southern Italy.
The prelate clarified that he had spoken about Mary’s freedom with reference to Christian theological tradition, drawing in particular on Saint Augustine. “I spoke of Mary who fulfils her freedom by obeying God’s plan. This is the meaning of freedom, according to Saint Augustine, which fulfils God’s salvific plan,” he stated.
Laterza further explained that the homily was intended to focus on the meaning of Christian freedom, a theme he described as particularly relevant “in a period marked by conflicts and oppressions.”
“In Saint Augustine we find a new conception of freedom: woman and man are free only in relation to God. The passage brings out the Christian dimension of freedom,” he added, stressing that “it would have been enough to read the entire homily to understand that the reflection was in fact about the meaning of Christian freedom.”
Regarding the phrase that provoked the strongest reactions — “say that to certain feminists” — the nuncio expressed regret for any offense given.
“They should read the entire homily and, however, if anyone felt offended, I humbly apologize: my intentions were neither to offend the role of women nor, even less, their freedom. I never spoke of the submission of women,” he said. Archbishop Laterza then recalled his pastoral and diplomatic work in Africa, noting that “every day I work to give dignity to the role of women on that continent, beginning with the schooling of girls.”
Archbishop Laterza has promoted and supported initiatives in the healthcare, education, and infrastructure sectors in Africa, receiving recognition from governments and institutions at different levels.
On December 18, the nuncio had been received in audience by Pope Leo XIV together with a group of volunteer eye doctors from Bari, Italy, involved in the humanitarian mission “A Ray of Light in Bangui,” which enabled hundreds of people to receive eye care and cataract surgery in the capital of the Central African Republic.