Amplify: What Women Have to Say
On vacation in South Carolina, I get up at the crack of dawn just so I can run along the beach as the sun rises. As the tide rolls in, I’m immersed in the sonorous rhythmic sound of wave after wave crashing along the shoreline. I listen to this distinct symphony of sound as I attempt to merge with the vastness of the sea. To my ear, the ocean resembles a mixture of joy, turmoil, elation and peace. I recall the words of Thich Nhat Hanh, Buddhist monk and peace activist (d. 2022), “Enlightenment is when the wave realizes it is the ocean.” At different times, our emotions and passions resemble big and small waves approaching the shore, reaching toward expansion and growth then retreating back, gaining momentum to rise again. We often forget that we are each created by God and we are not alone in this world. Using the metaphor of the ocean waves, our longings, frustrations and expressions (waves) come from and return to the immensity of God (the ocean), even while the wind, sun, moon’s gravitational pull and earth’s rotation all contribute to the constant movement of every wave. Whether or not we realize it, we are all part of something much bigger than ourselves. I am a firm believer that the sounds of the ocean echo the deep movement of the soul, maybe explaining why I long to hear it when I am no longer at the ocean’s edge. God’s design of Creation is indeed mystifying and wonderful.
Recently, I experienced a reminder that I am part of the ocean and not just a lone wave struggling to make my voice heard. At a gathering of faith-filled and passionate Catholic women, the thirty of us spent a weekend sharing our deepest longings and desires to be disciples for Christ and leaders in the Church. Hosted by Saint Meinrad Seminary and School of Theology in southern Indiana, the gathering of Women of the Church* profoundly inspired me. In this blog, I hope to share that enthusiasm I experienced so that you can see what is possible. Every conversation emboldened my spirit, encouraging me to listen and trust my inner voice. These women, unhesitant to voice the stirrings of their hearts, prompted me to reach out and spread the Gospel, particularly the joy of the Gospel, as Pope Francis reinforced in Evangelii Gaudium. In this Apostolic Exhortation, he writes “we need to create still broader opportunities for a more incisive female presence in the Church (no. 103).” The women at this gathering gave me permission to listen to my yearning to evangelize and to go forward with zeal. Just as the early Christians worked at the grassroots level in first century Christian communities, I shall pursue individual as well as group encounters with others as I walk along The Way (how early Christians in the Book of Acts describe the Jesus Movement).
“She-roes”
At this Catholic leadership forum, Dr. Kimberly Baker, Associate Professor of Patristics at St. Meinrad, spoke about the importance of telling our stories, including the stories of the “she-roes” who have positively impacted our lives. Her description of Sister Esta Joseph, CJ particularly spoke to me. Sister Esta was a faith-filled and dedicated principal of a girl’s school in Léogâne, Haiti. She was short in stature with a big heart. Moved by the plight of certain girls who were not getting an education because of their abject poverty, she opened a tuition-free afternoon session at the school for them. The school collapsed during the devastating earthquake of 2010, killing Sister Esta and the girls inside. Sister Esta lived her life until death with the heart of Christ, the “center and source of God’s unconditional love” (Give Us This Day reflection by theologian, Richard Gaillardetz, 6/24/22). A true she-ro!
As I listened to Dr. Baker’s descriptions of the lifegiving women who impacted her life, I began to write the names of my own “she-roes.” Names and faces came to mind as my heart exploded with gratitude. One significant woman in my life was my high school government teacher, Mrs. Virginia Stretcher. At a public school, it was rare to find a teacher willing to discuss relevant issues beyond the boundaries of the curriculum. Mrs. Stretcher was a perceptive and creative woman. She knew astutely how to read a room of high school seniors. As we entered into prepared debates, my partner and I presented an anti-abortion stance. We were well prepared and “won” the debate, but Mrs. Stretcher did not let the issue end there. She separated us into small groups the following day, giving each group a particular angle in the abortion debate. The groups ranged from the view of “all abortions are wrong no matter what” to “abortions are totally the woman’s choice and the government should never intervene.” I landed in a small group that was assigned the view that “abortions should never be allowed except to protect the life of the mother.” Other groups dealt with the issues of rape and incest, age of the mother, and high-risk and crisis pregnancies. As a 17-year-old, my views tended to be strictly black and white on moral issues, but this expanded debate opened my eyes to the possibility that there was a complexity and sometimes over-simplification of issues that concerned everyone. I will never forget the challenge of looking deeply at every facet of an issue before taking a side. Today, with the overturning of Roe v. Wade and all the implications at the State level, I see the relevancy of considering every level of the issue more than ever. Will the burden fall on the poor and will advocates for the unborn step up to support the most vulnerable populations of mothers in need? Mrs. Stretcher planted a seed of curiosity and instilled in me the importance of asking the right questions and considering all sides. May our Church leaders and laypeople advocate for life and the societal structures needed to support those who find themselves facing the life-changing difficulties of unplanned and crisis pregnancies.
In addition to going above and beyond in the classroom, Mrs. Stretcher embraced the personal encounter. As I was deciding whether or not to attend a college across the country, she heard me say that I’d probably stay in California since my parents hated the idea of the distance to Indiana even though scholarships covered most of the cost. Mrs. Stretcher sat me down after class and basically gave me the permission to follow my dreams and not allow others, like my parents, to prevent me from pursuing an impactful life. She encouraged me to be the wave at high tide, rising with the support of the ocean. Had she not done this, I probably would not have attended Notre Dame. I am so grateful for Mrs. Stretcher’s presence in my life. She opened my eyes to possibilities and set my feet on the right path.
“Enlightenment is when the wave realizes it is the ocean.”
Certain truths framed the women’s conference. First, even though our ministries and life work vary, we are each called to speak in our own voice as members of one Church. Within the framework and boundaries shaped by the Church, we can use our voices to encourage others, remind people of their baptismal call and even challenge others to live with the heart of Christ. As waves of varying size and power, we remain part of the Body of Christ, the Church. As women called to amplify our voices, we do well to remember that we are branches on Christ the vine. While we may hope and advocate for a women’s diaconate, for example, we realize the time has not yet arrived for this step. Yet, waves are approaching the shore as formal discussion and dialogue around this issue continues. In other words, there is hope for any change willed by the Spirit.
Called to Amplify
A resounding word throughout the conference was: amplify. Speak the truth. Speak in love. Speak clearly and with boldness. Do not hesitate to speak up when prompted by your inner voice. The Holy Spirit moves among you and me.
Mrs. Stretcher made it her mission throughout my senior year to amplify. Whether speaking to our government class or one-on-one, she did not miss an opportunity to help us to see a different perspective, to open our hearts and minds and to grow. I appreciated her sense of justice and her refusal to settle for mediocrity. She helped us all to be better human beings.
As the word, amplify, echoed in my mind, I wrote the following poem while sitting by the lake at St. Meinrad. A clear image of Jesus’ tomb, the sound of rumbling and Mary Magdalene appeared in my mind’s eye. I reflected on Mary’s love for Jesus as well as her boldness to proclaim the resurrection to the disciples. May we learn from her example and speak the truth. (The poem is best read slowly, pausing at each period.)
Amplify
by Jane Feliz Rush (6/18/22)
A rumbling.
Stone upon stone.
A tomb sealing in death.
Death of a Savior.
A rumbling.
The rumbling of our voices.
Telling our stories.
We are not dead.
The rising of a Savior.
The rising of our voices.
Voices that matter.
We amplify.
A rumbling
that moves the stone
ever so slightly.
An inch. Two. Three.
The stone in motion.
The rumbling of the Spirit.
Our Spirit.
Joined. Together.
Mary Magdalene. The first.
A woman at the tomb.
The first to see.
A woman.
“Mary!”
“Rabbouni!”
Witness. The first.
Resurrection.
She amplified.
“He is risen!”
The disciples, hidden, fearful.
At first did not believe her.
A woman.
Candor. Charity. Boldness. Courage. Wonder.
Openness to the unfolding.
A woman and prophet.
The first to witness the Paschal Mystery.
Us, too.
Women.
In the thin spaces of the Paschal Mystery.
We remind the Church of the motion.
Of the stone.
That the tomb is no longer sealed,
but open. Lifegiving. Empty.
Our deepest fear.
Also, our deepest longing.
And we must walk out.
To all.
Stewards of the potential of the Church.
Amplify.
A rumbling.
Slowly.
Surely.
Opening.
Spirit of God.
See and be seen.
Listen.
In silence.
Contemplate.
Encounter.
Tell your story.
Amplify.
Call to Action: In the comments below, share the ways you hope women’s leadership can grow in the Church. How can women amplify?
Blog Notes:
*Find out more information about Women of the Church at their website: www.womenofthechurch.org. You can also follow them on Facebook. A 2023 national conference is planned for next July in St. Paul, MN.
Song for Contemplation:
“Can’t Keep it In” by Cat Stevens (Yusuf Islam)
