Two women, separated in life by over 2,000 years, shared a characteristic that emboldened them to speak truth in the midst of threatening circumstances. Looking back at the lives of my mother, Patricia, and St. Mary Magdalene, I recognize their grit. Living in two drastically different worlds, these women responded to injustice despite cultural and social expectations of silent submission. Raised by one, I encountered the other in the pages of scripture.

I recently 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 women, we shared our deepest longings and desires to be disciples for Christ and leaders in the Church. The gathering of Women of the Church profoundly inspired me. In this blog, I hope to share that enthusiasm, along with my own “she-roe”, so that you can see what is possible.