Karen Hurley greeted His Holiness Pope Francis
October 12, 2013
Servizio Fotografico de L'Osservatore Romano

Vibrant and Dynamic Roles

… Women all around the world are entering into vibrant and dynamic roles in the Church. The Church, Bride of Christ, is emerging in new splendor! Women are arising and shining. Being a woman, is not about opting out, giving up or sitting back. The Bible and our own Christian heritage, is packed full of women, who changed the hearts of kings and the outcomes of wars, freed prisoners and fed the poor, built hope and founded religious congregations, raised children and practiced faithfulness, loved and lived generously. They are both companions to men, and leaders of men in bringing God’s love, to this broken world. What is most inspiring about many women, however, is the fact that they achieve so much against great odds and opposition…

 

My dear sisters in Christ, you have come here from many nations. You are a powerful sign of the universality of the Church. And as such, I renew my invitation to you, to take fully to heart the mission of the Church in the Holy Land. Our mission, like yours, is first of all, to be witnesses to Jesus Christ, witnesses to the Truth. Intimately tied to this mission, is working for the unity of all Christians in the world. It is the prayer of Jesus “that all may be one.” Let us confidently place all our prayers, little though they may seem, in our hands, in the hands of the great Lord, Who took five loaves and two fishes and fed the multitudes. We realize, therefore, that our little, becomes much, when placed in the hands of God.

 

May all your experiences, here, strengthen your faith, increase your hope, deepen your union with the Lord, renew you in prayer and make you truly one in and with His desire, that you are to be His witnesses to the ends of the earth. Be a strong presence wherever you live, and wherever you go. Never fail to look to the Author and Perfecter of our faith; follow Him, keep His Word in your hearts. In this way, your hope will not fail.

 

His Beatitude Fouad Twal, Latin Patriarch of Jerusalem

Address to the WUCWO Conference (excerpt)
Amman, October 25, 2013

For the complete text, please visit:  http://en.lpj.org/wp-content/uploads/2013/10/WUCWO-Jordan-Oct-24-2013-FINAL-FOR-DISTRIBUTION.pdf

 

+

Karen Hurley with His Beatitude Fouad Twal, Latin Patriarch of Jerusalem

 

 +

… Being a Christian is more important than the role, the function, one exercises in the community.  It means that the “common priesthood” (the priesthood we all receive in Baptism) is more important than the “ministerial priesthood”.  It means that “charity” is worth more than “authority”.  It means that “testimony” is worth more than “words”, it means that “being is more important than “acting”, “service” more than “power”.

 

Perhaps a peculiarity of women in evangelization is precisely this:  to give the Word, the Word of God, of course, more than through “words” through life, through their witness.  They realize what Saint Francis was recommending to his friars:  “preach the Gospel always, if necessary with words”.

 

His Excellency Archbishop Giorgio Lingua

Apostolic Nuncio in Iraq and Jordan
Address to the WUCWO Conference (excerpt)
Amman, October 25, 2013

 

+

 

The World Union of Catholic Women’s Organisations (WUCWO) in collaboration with the Latin Patriarchate of Jerusalem and the International Forum of Catholic Action, hosted a conference for women of the Middle East on the theme, “Women Believers at the Service of Life, Dignity and the Common Good.”  This historic conference was held under the patronage of Her Majesty Queen Rania Al Abdullah and was officially opened by Her Royal Highness Princess Sumaya bint El Hassan.  More than 60 Catholic women from countries throughout the region and around the world gathered in Amman, Jordan from October 24 – 27, 2013.

Her Royal Highness Princess Sumaya bint El Hassan

 

It was a joy for me to participate and, especially, to see the seeds grow that were sown at the 2010 WUCWO Assembly in Jerusalem.  We learned much about the reality of life for women who live in Palestine as well as those who live in Lebanon and Iraq.  It is hard to imagine the challenges of being amongst the “few” Christians who strive to remain in their homelands despite political strife and/or religious challenges.  Many of the women present are the last members of their families who have not emigrated to safer, more Christian-friendly countries.  Likewise it was humbling to get to know women whose parishes are the territory where Jesus and Mary were physically present—Bethlehem, Jerusalem, and Nazareth.  While many of us may belong to parishes devoted to our Lord or our Blessed Mother, few of us can say that they actually lived where the parish now exists.

 

Helen Kwon and Karen Hurley

 

Participants on Mount Nebo

 

We celebrated Morning Prayer one day on Mount Nebo—the spot where Moses was able to see the Promised Land that he would not be able to enter.  We visited a local parish and joined in Sunday Mass in Arabic.  Also during the conference we heard some women who speak Aramaic prayed the Lord’s Prayer in the language of Jesus.

 

Participants after Mass

Ultimately we strengthened the bonds of faith, hope and love which unite us as sisters in Christ.  We will now be networked through technology as well as prayer as we strive to do God’s will in our corners of the world.

 

Tour of Petra

+

 

Follow in the footsteps of Jesus from March 29 – April 8, 2014.  The scriptures will come alive on this Lenten journey to the roots of our faith. Tour includes:  Daily Mass at holy sites, licensed Christian guide, accommodation in First Class hotels (five nights in Jerusalem, three nights in Tiberias, on the shore of the Sea of Galilee), breakfast and dinner daily, land transportation by deluxe motorcoach, roundtrip airfare from Newark to Tel Aviv on nonstop flights with United Airlines, and more, for $3,459 per person/double occupancy. 

 

We will meet the local people, the “living stones” of the Holy Land, our brothers and sisters in Christ, who are waiting to welcome us “home”.  We hope to visit with the Latin Patriarch of Jerusalem who will share with us the hopes and concerns of those who live in the land of Jesus.

 

For complete details on this pilgrimage, please contact:  George’s International Tours, (800) 566-7499, sales@georgesintl.com, or Karen Hurley, k.m.hurley1@gmail.com.

 

+

God Entrusts Humanity to Women

On 12 October 2013 Pope Francis received in audience the participants in the study seminar “God entrusts humanity to women”, promoted by the Pontifical Council for the Laity, on the occasion of the 25th anniversary of the publication of Blessed John Paul II's apostolic letter, “Mulieris dignitatem”, dated 15 August 1988. The seminar was attended by experts and representatives of ecclesial movements, from twenty-five countries and from diverse professional fields.  I was privileged to be amongst the invited participants and to greet His Holiness.

The Holy Father remarked that “'Mulieris dignitatem' is an historical document, the first of the pontifical Magisterium entirely dedicated to the theme of women”, and with reference to the title of the seminar, he observed that in his opinion the key to understanding John Paul II's phrase is maternity.

“Many things can change and have changed in cultural and social evolution, but there remains the fact that it is the woman who conceives, carries and gives birth to the sons and daughters of men. And this is not simply a biological fact, but also gives rise to a wealth of implications both for the woman herself, for her way of being, and for her relationships, for the way in which she positions herself with regard to human life and life in general. In calling the woman to the role of maternity, God has in an entirely special way entrusted the human being to her.

“…Women have a particular sensibility for 'matters of God', especially in helping us to understand mercy, tenderness and the love that God has for us.”

“…Also in the Church, it is important to ask: what type of presence do women have? Could it be accorded greater worth? It is an issue of great importance to me, and for this reason I wished to meet with you and bless you and your work. Thank you, and let us continue in this work together! May Mary Most Holy, great woman, Mother of Jesus and of all the children of God, accompany us”.

 

For more information, please visit:

http://www.news.va/en/news/the-church-must-address-the-role-of-women

+

 

In the 25^th anniversary of the apostolic letter’s publication on the dignity and vocation of women, the Pontifical Council for the Laity would like to propose a renewed reflection upon this important document. The Mulieris Dignitatem was written straight after the Synod on the vocation and mission of the laity in the Church and the world, celebrated in 1987. It responded to a request, which arose out of the Synod itself, which called for a consideration of the anthropological and theological foundations of the feminine condition as an essential foundation for every novelty to occur in the life of the Church. The post-synodal apostolic exhortation Christifideles Laici, published a little after the Mulieris Dignitatem, contains the warning: “Above all the acknowledgment in theory of the active and responsible presence of woman in the Church must be realized in practice. … the revised Code of Canon Law contains many provisions on the participation of women in the life and mission of the Church: they are provisions that must be more commonly known and, according to the diverse sensibilities of culture and opportuneness in a pastoral situation, be realized with greater timeliness and determination.” (ChL, 51).

For more information, please visit:

http://www.laici.va/content/laici/en/sezioni/donna/notizie/-dio-affida-l_essere-umano-alla-donna----comunicato-stampa.html


Cardinal Stanislaw Rylko, President, Pontifical Council for the Laity
with Pope Francis

+

During the celebration of this Year of Faith we have been urged to rediscover our faith so we may share with others the joy and enthusiasm of an encounter with Christ.  In an increasingly individualistic and secular society, the love of Christ impels us to reach out to others, draw them near to us and the Lord and embrace them in faith.  Women are called to offer the gift of self and to be present for others in ways which contradict the individualistic mentality that seeks self-gratification at the expense of others.  Acts of Christian charity—too numerous to list--recall the tender care given by Jesus to each one in need of His healing touch. 

Among the fundamental values linked to women’s actual lives is what has been called a “capacity for the other”.  Although a certain type of feminist rhetoric makes demands “for ourselves,” women preserve the deep intuition of the goodness in their lives of those actions which elicit life, and contribute to the growth and protection of the other….  It is women, in the end, who even in very desperate situations, as attested by history past and present, possess a singular capacity to persevere in adversity, to keep life going even in extreme situations, to hold tenaciously to the future, and finally to remember with tears the value of every human life.

 “Letter to the Bishops of the Catholic Church on the Collaboration of Men and Women in the Church and in the World” -   2004, Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith, Joseph Cardinal Ratzinger, Prefect

We cannot deny the love of God within each of us nor the mission which He has entrusted to us as beloved daughters.  Moreover God has called us to be spiritual mothers who have the ongoing responsibility to sow and nurture seeds of faith in all those entrusted to our care.  We need to share our: love of God and devotion to our Blessed Mother Mary; desire to participate in the Holy Mass, frequent reception of the Holy Eucharist and sacrament of Reconciliation; hunger to learn more about our Catholic faith, God’s moral law, social doctrine of the Church; and fidelity to the Magisterium.

Pope Francis wrote in the Encyclical Letter, Lumen Fidei (13):  "Faith consists in the willingness to let ourselves be constantly transformed and renewed by God’s call." 

Empowered by the Holy Spirit to manifest the “feminine genius” and guided by Our Mother of Good Counsel, we will grow in faith, share with others our hope, and give witness to Jesus’ love.  We will joyfully answer God’s call to “constantly transform and renew” ourselves as we lovingly provide vital service to women, the Church, and the world. 

 

+

Called to Holiness

The holiness of the Church was the theme chosen by Pope Francis for his catechesis during the 2 October 2013 General Audience held in St. Peter's Square.  In the Creed, after professing that the Church is “one”, the Pope said, “we also confess that she is 'holy'; we thus affirm the holiness of the Church, and this is a characteristic that has been present ever since the beginning in the conscience of the first Christians, who called themselves simply 'the holy', as they were certain of the action of God, of the Holy Spirit who sanctifies the Church”.

The Church is holy because “she comes from God Who is holy, Who is faithful to her and never abandons her to the power of death and evil. She is holy because Jesus Christ, Son of God, is indissolubly united to her; she is holy because she is guided by the Holy Spirit which purifies, transforms, and renews. She is not holy by our merits, but because God makes her holy”.

“You could say to me: but the Church is made up of sinners, we see this every day. And this is true: we are a Church of sinners, and we sinners are called to let ourselves be transformed … by God.... The Church is holy, she does not refuse sinners; on the contrary, she welcomes them, she is open even to those who are most distant, she calls to all to allow themselves to be surrounded by the mercy, tenderness, and forgiveness of the Father, Who offers to all the opportunity to encounter Him and to walk the path to holiness.…

“Do not be afraid of holiness”, concluded Pope Francis, “of letting yourself be loved and purified by God. … Let us allow God's holiness to be transmitted to us. Every Christian is called to holiness; and holiness does not consist, first and foremost, in doing extraordinary things, but rather in letting God act. It is the encounter between our weakness and the strength of His grace”.

For more information, please visit: 

http://www.news.va/en/news/the-church-is-holy-and-open-to-all-not-only-the-pu
http://www.news.va/en/news/papal-audience-church-too-is-made-up-of-sinners-do

+

“Do not be afraid to aim for holiness and turn yourselves over to the love of God. Holiness does not mean performing extraordinary things but carrying out daily things in an extraordinary way – that is, with love, joy and faith.”

+

The National Council of Catholic Women (NCCW) 2013 Convention was held September 25 – 28, 2013 Fort Lauderdale, Florida with almost 500 participants from across the USA.  The theme, “Be the Voice of Catholic Women:  Confidence, Hope and Joy,” was based on the purpose of the proposed women’s council which was created by the United States Bishops in 1920:  “To give the Catholic women of the country a common voice and an instrument of common action in all matters affecting Catholic or national welfare.”

There was a spirit of excitement, energy and enthusiasm amongst the participants which exemplified the Church’s--and NCCW’s--mission of evangelization.  Gathering together as women and men, clergy, vowed religious and laity, we embraced the mission entrusted to us by our Baptism and Confirmation.  Strengthened by the Holy Eucharist and the Sacrament of Reconciliation we were renewed and transformed for our service to women and the Church.

 

Pope Francis wrote in the Encyclical Letter, Lumen Fidei (13):  "Faith consists in the willingness to let ourselves be constantly transformed and renewed by God’s call." 

Empowered by the Holy Spirit and guided by Our Mother of Good Counsel, we will grow in faith, share with others our hope, and give witness to Jesus’ love.  We will joyfully answer God’s call to “constantly transform and renew” ourselves and the National Council of Catholic Women as we offer a vital service to women and the Church.    

+

Karen Hurley, NCCW President-Elect with Rita Greenwald, NCCW Past President

If you, like me, have been richly blessed by membership in NCCW, then together we must offer expressions of gratitude, according to our God-given means, and work collaboratively and creatively with our President and Board of Directors, in our affiliates, and as individual members, to achieve the financial stability required to fulfill our mission.  NCCW has launched the “We Are One” campaign which asks for $1.00 (one dollar) from every Catholic woman, or in honor of a family member or friend.  We are united as sisters and brothers in the family of God…in one, holy, Catholic and apostolic Church… in one mission of evangelization.  Please also consider a contribution to the NCCW Birthday Club, Legacy Circle or an end-of-year donation.  For more information, please visit: http://home.catholicweb.com/NCCW/index.cfm

We must ensure that generations of women yet to come will also share in the outpouring of love, blessings, and opportunities which have been received through the membership or services of NCCW for almost 100 years.   Deo gratias!

Thank you in advance for sending your contributions to:

National Council of Catholic Women
200 N. Glebe Road, Suite 725
Arlington, VA  22203
 

+

The Church is Our Good Mother

The Church as mother was the theme chosen by His Holiness Pope Francis for the catechesis at the General Audience of 18 September 2013. “I like this image a lot, as it seems to me that it tells us not only how the Church is, but also shows us the face the Church, this Church of ours, should increasingly show”, he explained.

The Pope began by considering what a mother does for her children. First of all, “she teaches us how to proceed in life … she orientates us, she always tries to show us the right path in life in order to grow and become adults. And she does this with tenderness, with affection, with love, always – even when she tries to correct our path because we lose our way a little or take routes that might lead us to a fall…”.

Secondly, “when a child grows and becomes an adult … and assumes his responsibilities … he does what he wants, and at times, he may happen to stray away from the path. … A mother always, in every situation, has the patience to continue to accompany her children. She is animated by the strength of love … and even when [her children] make mistakes, she always finds a way of understanding them … to help them…”.

Finally, “a mother also knows how to ask, to knock on every door for her children, without calculation but with love. And I think of how mothers know, most of all, how to knock on God's door! Mothers pray a lot for their own children, especially for those … most in need, whose lives have taken dangerous or mistaken paths. … The Church does likewise: through prayer, she places the lives of all her children in the hands of the Lord. Let us trust in the strength of prayer of the Mother Church: the Lord never remains indifferent…”

“So, these are the thoughts I wanted to share with you today: we see in the Church a good mother who shows us the path to walk in life, who is always patient, merciful and understanding, and knows how to place us in God's hands”.

For more information, please visit:

http://www.news.va/en/news/mother-church-never-closes-the-door-to-any-of-her-

+

How is the Lord calling you to be a good (or better) spiritual mother? 

What grace or virtue does the Lord want you to receive or nurture or share?

Let us pray:  Lord, may I always be a sign of your Love.

+

The Search for Peace Demands Patience and Perseverance

After praying the Angelus on 8 September 2013, His Holiness Pope Francis thanked everyone who joined in periods of prayer, fasting and reflection for peace. 

 “But the task remains: we move forward with prayer and works of peace. I invite you to continue to pray so that the violence and devastation in Syria may cease immediately and that a renewed effort be undertaken to achieve a just solution to this fratricidal conflict. Let us pray also for other countries in the Middle East, in particular for Lebanon, that it may find its hoped-for stability and continue to be a model of peaceful co-existence; for Iraq, that sectarian violence may give way to reconciliation; and that the peace process between the Israelis and Palestinians may proceed with determination and courage. Finally, let us pray for Egypt, that all Egyptians, Muslims and Christians, may commit themselves to build up together a society dedicated to the good of the whole population.”

“The search for peace is long and demands patience and perseverance! Let us keep praying for this!”

For more information, please visit:

http://www.news.va/en/news/keep-praying-the-search-for-peace-is-long
http://www.news.va/en/news/angelus-war-against-evil-means-saying-no-to-fratri

 

+

How is the Lord calling you to persevere in prayer, fasting and reflection for peace? 

I think it is “easy” for me to pray for peace but deeper reflections reveal that it is not so easy to take action.  Even simple steps can be very difficult to take if I am not willing or able to “fast” from selfishness or self-centeredness or sin.  Unless I can “give up” old hurts or grievances I cannot receive or share peace—the peace that flows from the Heart of Jesus.  It is hard work to “let go” but the Lord shows us that is the way to fully experience His peace.  So we must persevere with patience.  Just imagine if each one of us took a small, difficult--but with the grace of God--successful step toward peace in our own life, family or community!  And if small steps toward peace were multiplied all around the world!

Let us support and encourage each other in daily prayer, fasting and reflection for peace.  May the Sacred Heart of Jesus transform us so that we may always be living signs of His love.  May the Immaculate Heart of Mary guide us through our sorrows to the fullness of peace and joy.

 

+

Peace through Dialogue, Reconciliation and Love

Dove with Olive Branch
Mosaic detail on floor of the Church of the Visitation, Ein Karem

His Holiness Pope Francis has called for a day of fasting and prayer for peace in Syria, in the entire Mideast region, and throughout the whole world to be held this coming Saturday, September 7th, 2013. The Pope made the announcement during the course of remarks before the traditional Angelus prayer this Sunday.

 

Our Holy Father said, “I wish to add my voice to the cry which rises up with increasing anguish from every part of the world, from every people, from the heart of each person, from the one great family which is humanity: it is the cry for peace! It is a cry which declares with force: we want a peaceful world, we want to be men and women of peace, and we want in our society, torn apart by divisions and conflict, that peace break out! War never again! Never again war! Peace is a precious gift, which must be promoted and protected.

There are so many conflicts in this world which cause me great suffering and worry, but in these days my heart is deeply wounded in particular by what is happening in Syria and anguished by the dramatic developments which are looming….

With all my strength, I ask each party in this conflict to listen to the voice of their own conscience, not to close themselves in solely on their own interests, but rather to look at each other as brothers and decisively and courageously to follow the path of encounter and negotiation, and so overcome blind conflict. With similar vigour I exhort the international community to make every effort to promote clear proposals for peace in that country without further delay, a peace based on dialogue and negotiation, for the good of the entire Syrian people. May no effort be spared in guaranteeing humanitarian assistance to those wounded by this terrible conflict, in particular those forced to flee and the many refugees in nearby countries….

 

It is neither a culture of confrontation nor a culture of conflict which builds harmony within and between peoples, but rather a culture of encounter and a culture of dialogue; this is the only way to peace. May the plea for peace rise up and touch the heart of everyone so that they may lay down their weapons and be let themselves be led by the desire for peace.

 

I have decided to proclaim for the whole Church on 7 September next, the vigil of the birth of Mary, Queen of Peace, a day of fasting and prayer for peace in Syria, the Middle East, and throughout the world, and I also invite each person, including our fellow Christians, followers of other religions and all men of good will, to participate, in whatever way they can, in this initiative….

Let us ask Mary to help us to respond to violence, to conflict and to war, with the power of dialogue, reconciliation and love. She is our mother: may she help us to find peace; all of us are her children! Help us, Mary, to overcome this most difficult moment and to dedicate ourselves each day to building in every situation an authentic culture of encounter and peace. Mary, Queen of Peace, pray for us!”

 

For the full text of the Holy Father's appeal please visit:

http://www.news.va/en/news/pope-angelus-appeal-for-peace-full-text

+

Artist Diane Andraska presents image of Mary, Queen of Peace to the Latin Patriarch of Jerusalem,  His Beatitude Fouad Twal, accompanied by Karen Hurley, President of the World Union of Catholic Women's Organisations,
during the 2010 Assembly in Jerusalem

+