The Diocese of A Woman

Professor Dr. Kevin Turnquest Alcena
Ph. D. in Economics/ Ph. D. in Clinical Psychology/ Ph. D. in Public Health/ PhD in Herbal & Holistic Medicine/ Ph. D. in Biogenetics/MD, Titular Professor, Attorney-at-Law in the UK-Lawyer & ClLex:ACIArb


What is a woman? What defines her? What does she look, act and sound like? Well, we can
simply ask Maya Angelou in her poem:

Phenomenal Women

Pretty women wonder where my secret lies.
I’m not cute or built to suit a fashion model’s size
But when I start to tell them,
They think I’m telling lies.
I say,
It’s in the reach of my arms,
The span of my hips,
The stride of my step,
The curl of my lips.
I’m a woman
Phenomenally.
Phenomenal woman,
That’s me.

I walk into a room
Just as cool as you please,
And to a man,
The fellows stand or
Fall down on their knees.
Then they swarm around me,
A hive of honey bees.
I say,
It’s the fire in my eyes,
And the flash of my teeth,
The swing in my waist,
And the joy in my feet.
I’m a woman
Phenomenally.
Phenomenal woman,
That’s me.



Men themselves have wondered
What they see in me.
They try so much
But they can’t touch
My inner mystery.
When I try to show them,
They say they still can’t see.
I say,
It’s in the arch of my back,
The sun of my smile,
The ride of my breasts,
The grace of my style.
I’m a woman
Phenomenally.
Phenomenal woman,
That’s me.

Now you understand
Just why my head’s not bowed.
I don’t shout or jump about
Or have to talk real loud.
When you see me passing,
It ought to make you proud.
I say,
It’s in the click of my heels,
The bend of my hair,
the palm of my hand,
The need for my care.
’Cause I’m a woman
Phenomenally.
Phenomenal woman,
That’s me.

Women are what makes the world go round. Without women children would never be born. They
are the bane of our existence. Without women society and the world at large would cease to be and
the very continuity of life would no longer be possible. Wikipedia defines the “holy grail’ as “a
treasure that serves as an important motif with miraculous powers that provide happiness, eternal
youth sustenance in infinite abundance.” Women are truly the holy grail of life! They are the very
essence of what and who we become. Yet women are taken for granted and not cherished as the
treasures they truly are. Their strength and tenacity to make things happen is often underestimated.
Their capacity to bear pain, give love, endure hardships, suffer much, are many times diminished and
under-valued. They are the oil that runs the vehicle called life, the web that keeps the family together.
Many carry the role of dual parentage as the fathers are neither in the homes or doing their jobs to take
care of their families. She makes things happen even with the little she has. She is every superhero
rolled into one, yet she is oftentimes misrepresented on the job, in government, even in the court
room. The sacrifices she makes, the hard work she puts in to take care of her home and rear her
children are many times not appreciated, especially by the men in their lives. I speak from a position
of authority as I have seven sisters and a wonderful mother. I never knew my father and so I was
raised by this strong woman, along with my grandmother and an aunt. They endured that I would turn
out to be who I am today, regardless of an absent father. They made sure my sisters and I had
everything we needed to survive and excel. So, I stand today as the defender and the voice of all
women! Young, old, black, white, poor, rich, regardless of race, class, culture or status they deserve
to be respected and revered. The bearers of our sons and daughters have earned the right to be
honored. Can a man carry a child? Does he have what it takes to bare that child in birth? Can we re-
create the sanctity of life as a man? No, we cannot! It doesn’t matter how much a man may try to
replicate the look, act and sound of a woman he will never be one. Diane Mariechild said, “A woman
is the full circle. Within her is the power to create, nurture and transform.”


With this in mind then, let us draw our attention to supporting the growth, strength and empowerment
of women. We need a voice to cry out for the injustices of women all over the world. Prime example
is seen in the many refugee camps in places like Afghanistan, Kenya, Assyria, Africa and India, where
the majority of them are women and many are being raped, abused and tortured by the very same
people sent to protect them. This exploitation of women must be stopped! This pandemic has created
an even greater challenge as helping those in need around the world has almost come to a complete
stop. We cannot continue to solely rely on the U.N. with their ancient and archaic approaches to these
humanitarian issues. Even Chirst, in His ministry acknowledged and utilize women, as the very first
evangelist was a woman named Mary Magdelene who took the message to Christ’s disciples. One
can further assert that Christ valued and respected women as seen in John 19:25–27: “Now there stood
by the cross of Jesus His mother, and His mother’s sister, Mary the wife of Cleopas, and Mary
Magdalene. When Jesus therefore saw His mother, and the disciple whom He loved standing by, He
said to His mother, “Woman, behold your son!” Then He said to the disciple, “Behold your mother!”
And from that hour that disciple took her to his own home.” Moreover, the value Jesus placed on
women were so great that His genealogy was the only one in the bible that mentions women. In
Matthew’s Jewish world, genealogies typically mentioned only men. Even more surprisingly, the
four women — Tamar, Rahab, Ruth, Bathsheba — have somewhat spotty reputations. Tamar, pretends
to be a prostitute, propositions and becomes pregnant by her father-in-law and has a son named Perez.
Rahab was a prostitute, who saved the spies, married a Jew and had Boaz. Ruth a widow of a Jew,
went back to her mother-in-law Naomi’s homeland, where she met and married Boaz who was the
grandfather of David. Bathsheba, was a woman taken in adultery by King David, had a son named
Solomon, through which the line of the Messiah comes. Finally, the Virgin Mary and the mother of
Jesus. These were women that were poor, uneducated, uncultured, but became world reknowned
because of their connection and contribution to the life and times of Christ.

Therefore, it is imperative that like Christ, we must follow his example, especially as men in society
and the world at large. We need to unite, take a stand, advocate for and speak out against the
exploitation of women everywhere. We need to make a conscience effort not to be silent, but let our
collective voices be heard that we will not continue to stand by while women are being hurt, abused
and misused. We need to pray for them and formulate committees to raise our voices as one because
their is unity in strength. As 1 Corinthians 1:10 — Now I beseech you, brethren, by the name of our
Lord Jesus Christ, that ye all speak the same thing, and that there be no divisions among you; but that
ye be perfectly joined together in the same mind and in the same judgment.” We have the power and
the ability to be life changers and game changers if we stand as one. We must be the change we want
to see! Melinda Gates, said, “A woman with a voice is, by definition, a strong woman. But the search
to find that voice can be remarkably difficult.” Hence, it is our duty as men, as the head, we should be
the one uplifiting them! Helping to encourage and empower them so that they can be who they are
called to be and in doing so, continue to make society and the world as a whole great. Who will stand
with me?


Maya Angelou, “Phenomenal Woman” from And Still I Rise. Copyright © 1978 by Maya Angelou. Used by permission of Random House, an imprint and division of Penguin Random House LLC.