Diocesan Women Called to Use 'Feminine Genius'

By Linda Busetti
HERALD Staff Writer
(From the issue of 3/21/02)

"Society and the Church need you Catholic women to get involved in the world by bringing your feminine gifts to bear on the questions of our day by getting involved at all levels of the Church and society," Arlington Bishop Paul S. Loverde told about 100 women gathered for the Arlington Diocesan Council of Catholic Women’s convention held at Bishop Ireton High School in Alexandria last Saturday.

After a brief business meeting, including election of 2002-04 ADCCW officers, President Virginia Berg introduced Susan Muskett, the new executive director of the National Council of Catholic Women, who said, "We as American Catholic women have a unique duty and role. Working together we will accomplish great things."

Berg announced the winners of ADCCW’s Most Outstanding Woman of the Parish awards, which were presented later in the day.

Berg then introduced keynote speaker Anne Carroll, founder and director of the Seton School in Manassas. Carroll developed and has taught an "authentically Catholic curriculum" at junior and senior high school levels since 1975 and is the author of Christ the King — Lord of History.

Carroll’s presentation celebrated the three women doctors of the Church — St. Catherine of Siena, St. Teresa of Avila and St. Therese of Lisieux.

Carroll quoted Pope John Paul II, who said, "The Church gives thanks for all the manifestations of feminine genius, which have appeared in the course of history in the midst of all people and nations."

In the second half of the 14th century, Carroll said, it was St. Catherine of Siena who traveled to France and convinced Pope Gregory XI to return to Rome from Avignon.

Another "feminine genius," St. Teresa of Avila, battled the Protestant Revolt in the 16th century, Carroll said. St. Teresa had a will of iron, enormous energy, charisma and was a prolific writer. She "sacrificed her own self-will" and developed an interior life of "mental prayer," Carroll said.

St. Teresa’s message was, "Everyone has time for mental prayer," Carroll said. "If we give God our time, God will provide to us the time we need for all of our other responsibilities," Carroll said. "There is no way you can be more generous than God … Prayer is a loving conversation with God and we have to let Him get in a few words," she said.

German Chancellor Otto von Bismarck dominated 19th-century Europe during St. Therese of the Child Jesus of Lisieux’s brief lifetime. Bismarck saw the Church as a threat to his power. In contrast to St. Teresa of Avila, St. Therese wrote one simple book, The Story of a Soul. Cloistered St. Therese combated "Kulturkampf" (culture struggle), Bismarck’s attempt to subject the Roman Catholic Church to state controls, through her "little way, the essence of which is "love and self-denial, and is accessible to everyone," Carroll said.

Bishop Loverde concelebrated Mass with Father Frank Ready, Holy Spirit pastor and ADCCW moderator, and Father Daniel Maher, diocesan episcopal vicar for finance. The St. Joseph Parish Gospel Choir of Alexandria provided inspirational music.

Bishop Loverde reminded the convention, "Having advanced degrees in theology is not as important in living the Christian life as having a personal relationship with God. Our mission is to bring others to Christ. … Our Holy Father … has invited us to set out into the deep for a catch. As Catholic women, how are you responding to this invitation?"

Bishop Loverde quoted Pope John Paul II’s message to women in Rome, "Feminine holiness, to which each of you is called, is indispensable to the life of the Church."

The women doctors of the Church "are only three of thousands of saints and ordinary women" who "brought their feminine genius to bear on the world around them," Bishop Loverde said. "As the Church sets out into the deep in this Christian millennium, she needs the genius of women … may your prophetic witness be a significant hallmark in this new millennium in this diocese and beyond," he said.

After lunch, Bishop Loverde presented ADCCW’s Most Outstanding Woman of the Parish medals honoring Wilma Anderson of St. Joseph Parish in Alexandria, Martha Bibb of Queen of Apostles Parish in Alexandria, Marianne J. Germann of Our Lady of Angels in Woodbridge, Fran Goldman of St. Patrick Parish in Fredericksburg, Mary Herr of Our Lady of Good Counsel Parish in Vienna, Donna Kurtz of St. Mary Parish in Fredericksburg, June Larsen of St. Michael Parish in Annandale, Irene Martinsen of Holy Spirit Parish in Annandale, Marie Riley of All Saints Parish in Manassas, Valentine Szajgecka of Sacred Heart of Jesus Parish in Winchester, Mary VanHorn of St. William of York Parish in Stafford, Beverly Ward of St. Raymond of Penafort in Fairfax Station and Ruth Markey of St. Anthony Parish in Falls Church.

Bishop Loverde installed the newly elected slate of ADCCW officers including Virginia Berg, president; Elizabeth Schiavone, vice president; Jeannie Kocis, treasurer; Jennifer Schiavone, recording secretary; and Beverly Anderson, corresponding secretary.

For information on ADCCW, contact Virginia Berg at 703/241-1129 or by e-mail at jvaberg@apl.com. ADCCW invites visitors to their new Web site at http://home.catholicweb.com/ADCCW.

Copyright ©2002 Arlington Catholic Herald.  All rights reserved.