Jesus (…) certainly chose from among his disciples 12 men as Fathers of the new Israel and appointed them "to be with him, and to be sent out to preach". This fact is obvious; but, in addition to the Twelve, pillars of the Church and fathers of the new People of God, many women were also chosen to number among the disciples. (…) In the first place, we think spontaneously of the Virgin Mary, who with her faith and maternal labours collaborated in a unique way in our Redemption. (…) Then there are various women with roles of responsibility who gravitated in their different capacities around the figure of Jesus. The women who followed Jesus to assist him with their own means, some of whose names Luke has passed down to us, are an eloquent example: Mary of Magdala, Joanna, Susanna and "many others" (cf. Lk 8: 2-3). (…) Nor was the female presence in the sphere of the primitive Church in any way secondary. (…) Without the generous contribution of many women, the history of Christianity would have developed very differently. This is why (…) the Church gives thanks for each and every woman. (Pope Benedict XVI, General Audience, 14 February 2007)