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Sr. Esta Joseph, CJ, a Haitian woman religious, showed me the beauty and possibilities of a life that reflects the paschal mystery.  I met Sr. Esta in 2007 during a visit to Haiti with a group of ministry students from Notre Dame.  She was the principal of St. Rose of Lima School, a Catholic girls’ […]MORE

For a number of years, Sr. Thea Bowman, FSPA, has captured my attention and imagination.  When I think of Sr. Thea, I think of her joyful spirit, her boldness and courage, the radiant love that seems to permeate every quote I read or video clip I watch. Here at Saint Meinrad in the 2nd Anselm […]MORE

When reading the story of Mary’s visit to Elizabeth (Luke 1:39-45), my imagination is captured by John the Baptist leaping in Elizabeth’s womb. Although tiny and as yet unborn, John is already attuned to the presence of God. When Mary appears at the door, bearing Jesus in her own womb, John can’t contain his joy […]MORE

Recently I have been involved with a mentor training program, in preparation for working with young Catholic women leaders in the coming year. As part of our training with Dr. Joshua Miller, we have been invited to reflect on “achievement stories” or “fulfillment stories.” When you review the whole course of your life, what is […]MORE

“Speak, Mary, declaring what you saw, wayfaring…’Christ, my hope, is arisen.’” –from the Easter Sequence The Paschal Candle has always captivated me. It calls to mind the Easter fire bursting into life, our procession into the darkened church with our candles burning, the brilliant light of the church aglow as we sing the Great Alleluia. […]MORE

I grew up learning and memorizing poems: starting with nursery rhymes and graduating to poetry of different cultures and languages. A well-turned phrase, an unexpected pairing of syllables has the power to ignite the imagination and stir the senses. We see the brushstrokes of words create a painting. We feel the cadence and rhythm of […]MORE

Since the 2016 conference, I have been imagining what a “Women of the Church” community would or could look like in between events.  I felt so “high” after that first conference I thought to myself, how can I sustain this sense of joy day in and day out. The women I had been introduced to […]MORE

“Women of the Church . . . makes manifest the diverse work of Catholic women in the Church, in the past and present.” –From our Forum’s purpose statement. The desire to make manifest the work of women in the Church sparked our dream of bringing people together to celebrate and support women of the Church. […]MORE

My college years and learning to write code are well behind me; I am no techie. However, I do appreciate technology. I even find beauty in a well-designed MacBook Air, sleek phone, or smart washing machine. I get excited by avenues opened up by technology, like the development of the Square that allowed mom-and-pop businesses […]MORE