International Women's Day
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| Pope Francis offering special blessing to women |
Pope Francis' speaking in his Wednesday General Audience in the Vatican reminded people that it was International Day for women stressing
This is a privilege of women alone! ... I think of all women: I thank the for their commitment to building a more humane society, through their ability to grasp reality with a creative eye and a tender heart. Pope Francis
We are blessed with so many gifted and talented women who either belong to the parish or like me engage in activities offered by the parish. Women often follow in the footsteps of many recognised and unrecognised Women Saints. You are invites to send a pledge or perhaps a sentence about someone you would like to remember in your life or your favourite female saint. (NB If its your mum or a relative please add at least their first name, and relationship and email to catechist @ lancastercathedral.org.uk).
To start us off and help celebrate and remember important women in people's lives including women saints, women involved in the online prayer activities and catechesis within the parish have shared important women or sent a pledge for what they will do to mark this day. Because the whole of March is dedicated to Women's History month if any readers want to send things to share about women who have inspired them or championed others have things.
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| Diane's pledge for International Women's Day |
Menchu one of our meditators writes about her favourite saint and shares a prayer:
One of my favourites Saints is St Teresa of Ávila. She was a proper natural Castillian character: people that call to the bread, bread, and to the wine, wine. Never afraid of calling things by their names, meaning clear and honest, straight to the point. Always with her feet on earth, and at the same time in an amazing relationship with God. A wonderful example of woman, and Christian for me.
St Teresa of Avila Prayer Let nothing disturb you
Kathryn one of our meditators shares memories of her Grannie Vera.
I would like to remember my Grannie Vera, who, although being stepmother to my Mum, loved me as her own grandchildren and often wrote long detailed letters up to her death in her nineties. Her cooking and hospitality was phenomenal but most of all was her capacity to love and was much loved in return.
St Clare is my favourite courageous female! She was prepared to stand up to St Francis and the Pope in her determination to follow Lady Poverty. She had a face to face conflict with invaders too, who scurried away defeated by her purity and bravery.
Finally for this week, but it would be great to share some more next week. Veronique who comes to Gospel Share and is one of our Children's Liturgists shared a photograph and writes:
I would like to remember all the women who would have liked an intellectual career but couldn't have one: as co-organizer of a conference for Jean Genet’s centenary of birth at the Odeon Theatre in Paris, I was blessed to have this moment with Hélène Cixous, the French feminist writer who has been doing so much for women. She is not just a political role model for women, but also a brilliant poet who has been helping readers realize that feminine writing is different, that men like Genet can also be feminist and write with a feminine posture, and that different voices matter more than ever in today’s society.
Veronique and Helene
We'd love to hear from others during the month of March about inspiring women in your life, favourite women saints.