By Terry Polakovic
The other day I heard a radio commercial poking fun at the month of August as the only month without a designated holiday. The gist of the commercial was that there is nothing worse than the month of August. I must say, I respectfully disagree.
As a person who loves to learn, I have always found that there was something exhilarating about August. Summer winds down and everyone seems ready to get back into a regular routine and whether they will admit it or not, most people just do better when they have a routine. When my children were young I used the month of August to get them ready for school, motivate them and gear them up for all the new adventures waiting just around the corner. We carefully planned our trip to Target to purchase school supplies, and, once we were there, it would take us a couple of hours to choose the ideal backpacks and pens that would last for a year and notebooks that no one else would have. It wasn’t just a shopping trip; it was an art.
Education has the power to transform us and make us better versions of ourselves. This is just one of the reasons I love being a Catholic. As Catholics, we are heirs to the richest intellectual tradition in all of history. Unfortunately, very few of us even realize it. Fewer still make an effort to seek it out. But I think John Paul II got it right when he said, “Time dedicated to education is time truly well spent, because it determines a person’s future, and therefore the future of the family and of the whole society.” So, do yourself a favor and while everyone is getting ready for “back-to-school” get yourself ready too. Join an ENDOW group, read a book about the saints, read Frank Sheed’s Theology and Sanity, read George Weigel’s Witness to Hope about the life of Pope John Paul II. Education is a lifelong journey.
There are a few other things I like about August. I like the cooler mornings, I like fresh Colorado produce, I like buying a couple of new sweaters, I like planning our September Conference and thinking about all of the new women I might meet this year because of ENDOW. August? Bring it on!
Thursday, August 20, 2009
Friday, August 14, 2009
There’s No Such Thing as a Coincidence
By Gigi Zapiain
There I was, minding my own business, finally getting some work done when yet another email lands in my inbox. At first I resisted the temptation to look at it, but upon seeing it was from ENDOW, of course it had to be opened immediately. It was an invitation to contribute to this blog – so here I am. But if there is ever an issue with anything I might set down here – you know to send your grievance to The Management – and perhaps I can get more work done again. But if I’m lucky, that won’t happen.
I became involved with ENDOW studies about 18 months ago pretty much out of pure skepticism. I had read Letter to Women, Mulieris Dignitatem, Redemptoris Mater, and studied St. Thomas’ Summa Theologica in graduate school back in Washington, D.C. World-class philosophers and theologians like Pope John Paul II and Thomas Aquinas aren’t particularly easy to read – not anything you would take to the beach – so can this little outfit out of Denver really claim to make their writings accessible to the average woman? Especially since they use the real stuff, not summaries or paraphrases. So I joined a new ENDOW group. Not as a facilitator, mind you. I just wanted to be “one of the gals.”
My first surprise came from the documents themselves. I had read Letter to Women as an academic requirement. I could tell you what it was about and the major points the Holy Father was making – but I had no idea part of the strategy had been to influence the U.N. World Conference on Women taking place the same year the Letter was published. “Pretty crafty,” I thought – but that’s JPII for you – thinking globally and acting both on the world stage and as an individual, writing to every woman in the world. Interesting insight, but not a stunner. Then the study guide points out that the whole Letter is written in the form of an extended Examination of Conscience – whoa – I had never picked up on that and my professor had never mentioned it. During an intensive Ignatian retreat I once did, a daily personal examination of conscience was included for us to confront ourselves, face up to our sins and shortcomings, and resolve to do better. Was this what the Holy Father was doing? I had to know…and so did everyone else in our group.
Then there were the women. There were eight of us all together, a random collection of housewives, single working women, and retirees who were willing to come out one evening a week. Our only discernable common traits were love of the faith and a curiosity about what it might be like to talk with perfect strangers about the writings of Pope John Paul II. As would surprise no one, we did not remain strangers for long – and I was hooked. As someone once said to me, “In the Providence of God, there are no coincidences, only our recognition of His hand at work.”
There I was, minding my own business, finally getting some work done when yet another email lands in my inbox. At first I resisted the temptation to look at it, but upon seeing it was from ENDOW, of course it had to be opened immediately. It was an invitation to contribute to this blog – so here I am. But if there is ever an issue with anything I might set down here – you know to send your grievance to The Management – and perhaps I can get more work done again. But if I’m lucky, that won’t happen.
I became involved with ENDOW studies about 18 months ago pretty much out of pure skepticism. I had read Letter to Women, Mulieris Dignitatem, Redemptoris Mater, and studied St. Thomas’ Summa Theologica in graduate school back in Washington, D.C. World-class philosophers and theologians like Pope John Paul II and Thomas Aquinas aren’t particularly easy to read – not anything you would take to the beach – so can this little outfit out of Denver really claim to make their writings accessible to the average woman? Especially since they use the real stuff, not summaries or paraphrases. So I joined a new ENDOW group. Not as a facilitator, mind you. I just wanted to be “one of the gals.”
My first surprise came from the documents themselves. I had read Letter to Women as an academic requirement. I could tell you what it was about and the major points the Holy Father was making – but I had no idea part of the strategy had been to influence the U.N. World Conference on Women taking place the same year the Letter was published. “Pretty crafty,” I thought – but that’s JPII for you – thinking globally and acting both on the world stage and as an individual, writing to every woman in the world. Interesting insight, but not a stunner. Then the study guide points out that the whole Letter is written in the form of an extended Examination of Conscience – whoa – I had never picked up on that and my professor had never mentioned it. During an intensive Ignatian retreat I once did, a daily personal examination of conscience was included for us to confront ourselves, face up to our sins and shortcomings, and resolve to do better. Was this what the Holy Father was doing? I had to know…and so did everyone else in our group.
Then there were the women. There were eight of us all together, a random collection of housewives, single working women, and retirees who were willing to come out one evening a week. Our only discernable common traits were love of the faith and a curiosity about what it might be like to talk with perfect strangers about the writings of Pope John Paul II. As would surprise no one, we did not remain strangers for long – and I was hooked. As someone once said to me, “In the Providence of God, there are no coincidences, only our recognition of His hand at work.”
Wednesday, August 12, 2009
August Acceptance
By Mercy Gutierrez
Last month, I delivered a series of talks for women attending an all-day summer retreat. Although I was given four hours to teach, I was the one who walked away really learning a valuable truth. Let me explain:
The title for the retreat was Transformed by the Spirit: Living in His Truth with Conviction and my lectures addressed the journey of a Christian life. We started the day examining our lives, especially the areas where we are in most need of repentance and reconciliation. After recognizing the need for Christ to transform our hearts, strengthen our minds and cleanse our souls, we discussed the importance of learning the faith, living in Truth and growing in love for the Lord. Then, during the closing lecture, we discussed the importance of persevering in holiness in times of joy and suffering.
During the joy-filled moments in our life, it is easy to rejoice in God’s faithfulness and mercy (as long as we remember to give HIM the glory). However, during times of suffering, it is not as easy. Suffering is complicated. It is intellectually difficult to understand and emotionally draining to discuss. So in preparation for the talk, I asked the Holy Spirit to send me a word that would lend comfort during those times of suffering in our lives. He sent me two words in prayer: availability and obedience. When God calls us to persevere in love and service to Him and the Church, we need only be available to His wants and obedient to His needs. Just as Samuel said in the Old Testament, “Here I am Lord (available), I come to do your will (obedient),” we need to respond with an open and willing heart. In doing so, we allow God to truly penetrate the daily circumstances of our lives, especially in times of sorrow and suffering.
As I wrapped up the session, I decided to open up the floor for personal remarks. At that, an older woman in the front humbly raised her hand. She thanked me for the day’s presentations and asked if she could add a “word” regarding the last session. She said, “we surely need availability and we must be obedient, but in my 60 years of living, I understand that we also need acceptance.” Acceptance. How true. And no one knew this better than the women in the room.
You see, throughout the day, many of the women approached me to tell me about what God was doing in their lives: one woman had just lost her husband and was left to raise their three teenage sons; another had lost her daughter to a brain aneurysm just days before her wedding was to take place; another had two sons with severe disabilities; another was devastated that her thirty-year marriage was falling to pieces; another was lamenting that her grown children had left the Church. These women knew suffering. They were living it out everyday. Just as the women on my retreat knew suffering, so do many of the women in our ENDOW groups.
It is difficult to accept certain crosses that we are given, but we must make it an act of faith, trusting in God’s plan for our lives. Although we may not be able to answer the “whys” of such sufferings, we patiently wait to discover “how” God will use them for the good. We must find consolation in the trusting words of the prophet Isaiah: “As high as the heavens are above the earth, so high are my ways above your ways and my thoughts above your thoughts, says the Lord” (55:9).
Last month, I delivered a series of talks for women attending an all-day summer retreat. Although I was given four hours to teach, I was the one who walked away really learning a valuable truth. Let me explain:
The title for the retreat was Transformed by the Spirit: Living in His Truth with Conviction and my lectures addressed the journey of a Christian life. We started the day examining our lives, especially the areas where we are in most need of repentance and reconciliation. After recognizing the need for Christ to transform our hearts, strengthen our minds and cleanse our souls, we discussed the importance of learning the faith, living in Truth and growing in love for the Lord. Then, during the closing lecture, we discussed the importance of persevering in holiness in times of joy and suffering.
During the joy-filled moments in our life, it is easy to rejoice in God’s faithfulness and mercy (as long as we remember to give HIM the glory). However, during times of suffering, it is not as easy. Suffering is complicated. It is intellectually difficult to understand and emotionally draining to discuss. So in preparation for the talk, I asked the Holy Spirit to send me a word that would lend comfort during those times of suffering in our lives. He sent me two words in prayer: availability and obedience. When God calls us to persevere in love and service to Him and the Church, we need only be available to His wants and obedient to His needs. Just as Samuel said in the Old Testament, “Here I am Lord (available), I come to do your will (obedient),” we need to respond with an open and willing heart. In doing so, we allow God to truly penetrate the daily circumstances of our lives, especially in times of sorrow and suffering.
As I wrapped up the session, I decided to open up the floor for personal remarks. At that, an older woman in the front humbly raised her hand. She thanked me for the day’s presentations and asked if she could add a “word” regarding the last session. She said, “we surely need availability and we must be obedient, but in my 60 years of living, I understand that we also need acceptance.” Acceptance. How true. And no one knew this better than the women in the room.
You see, throughout the day, many of the women approached me to tell me about what God was doing in their lives: one woman had just lost her husband and was left to raise their three teenage sons; another had lost her daughter to a brain aneurysm just days before her wedding was to take place; another had two sons with severe disabilities; another was devastated that her thirty-year marriage was falling to pieces; another was lamenting that her grown children had left the Church. These women knew suffering. They were living it out everyday. Just as the women on my retreat knew suffering, so do many of the women in our ENDOW groups.
It is difficult to accept certain crosses that we are given, but we must make it an act of faith, trusting in God’s plan for our lives. Although we may not be able to answer the “whys” of such sufferings, we patiently wait to discover “how” God will use them for the good. We must find consolation in the trusting words of the prophet Isaiah: “As high as the heavens are above the earth, so high are my ways above your ways and my thoughts above your thoughts, says the Lord” (55:9).
Tuesday, August 4, 2009
Sisterhood
(I am honored to be a part of this blog, discussing the joy of being a Catholic woman. I hope to add to the great conversation by bringing my perspective as a young single Catholic woman. I look forward to growing in Faith with you.)
Sisterhood
By Jamie Gruber
“How to Get Him to Dump Her.” This was one of the recent headlines of a tabloid I noticed while standing in the supermarket line. I was not shocked that the world was promoting boyfriends over sisterhood. But as I talked with my girlfriends in the local Catholic young adult community, I realized we were not exempt from this mentality. We too have chosen to concern ourselves more with the potential of a romantic relationship, than friendship with each other.
By Jamie Gruber
“How to Get Him to Dump Her.” This was one of the recent headlines of a tabloid I noticed while standing in the supermarket line. I was not shocked that the world was promoting boyfriends over sisterhood. But as I talked with my girlfriends in the local Catholic young adult community, I realized we were not exempt from this mentality. We too have chosen to concern ourselves more with the potential of a romantic relationship, than friendship with each other.
One friend put it this way, “When I walk into a party filled with our Catholic friends, I feel a heightened tension between all the ladies. We each have tagged certain men ‘mine’. And so, we are in competition with each other, instead of in communion.” It seems it is easier for women to love men, because we receive the instant gratification of affection we so desire. Our desire to love men is good and from God, but when it trumps our call to sisterhood, then we should re-evaluate the way we look at our relationships. Our effort to love our sisters now will only add to the Graces of our future marriages.
ENDOW study groups have brought new meaning to the idea of sisterhood for young women. It allows for GIRL ONLY time and it enables us to relearn the virtues of loving and building each other up. A wise friend once told me that friendship with other women is essential to our feminine spirituality. When we spend this time together as sisters, we grow in prayer and learn to see how God loves us.
While meditating on the Joyful Mystery of The Visitation, I realized the model that Mother Mary has set for women. Mary’s visit to Elizabeth shows us our vocation as women to support and love each other first! Women are a beautiful half of the Body of Christ, and by being good sisters to one another, we are honoring our brothers in Christ.
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