St. Pope John Paul II (1920-2005)

(Updated July 16, 2025)

This Author Quote Archive collects pertinent quotes from the St. Pope John Paul II, who reigned from 1978-2005.

Next to each quote are the Topic Quote Archives in which they are included.

This Quote Archive is being continuously updated as research continues. Quotes marked with “***” have not yet been organized into their respective Topic Quote Archives.

St. Pope John Paul II, Laborem Exercens: On Human Work (September 14, 1981)

• Patriarchy, Feminism, and the Roles of Men and Women | §19

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(§19)

Experience confirms that there must be a social re-evaluation of the mother’s role, of the toil connected with it, and of the need that children have for care, love and affection in order that they may develop into responsible, morally and religiously mature and psychologically stable persons. It will redound to the credit of society to make it possible for a mother–without inhibiting her freedom, without psychological or practical discrimination, and without penalizing her as compared with other women–to devote herself to taking care of her children and educating them in accordance with their needs, which vary with age. Having to abandon these tasks in order to take up paid work outside the home is wrong from the point of view of the good of society and of the family when it contradicts or hinders these primary goals of the mission of a mother.