The holy witnesses of Martha, Mary, Mary Magdalene & the Syrophoenician woman

Photo by Aaron Burden on Unsplash https://unsplash.com/photos/fgmf2Eyrwm4

Photo by Aaron Burden on Unsplash https://unsplash.com/photos/fgmf2Eyrwm4

Greetings during these weeks of summer. I hope they provide opportunities for you to enjoy parks, swimming pools, beaches or mountains, to reconnect with family and friends, or to engage in a fun hobby awaiting your slower pace.

We had hoped to be sharing our synthesis report this week and apologize for its delay as a member of our design team needed to tend to the health emergencies of relatives. Thanks for your prayers for needed healing. We are using this time to translate the synthesis into Spanish and hope to share both the English and Spanish versions soon.

About this week’s newsletter

Sunday’s Gospel reading highlighted the sisterly quarrel between Martha and Mary over “diakonia” – service. It’s an interesting and multi-layered text to contemplate, and in our preaching section below we feature a couple of reflections from Dr. Susan McGurgan on Catholic Women Preach and myself in U.S. Catholic (posted below). 

This week our Church celebrates the Feast of St. Mary Magdalene, and I invite you to join me in pondering how the holy witness of Martha, Mary, Mary Magdalene and the Syrophoenician woman continue to ripple out and influence our own times as we discern the Holy Spirit’s call today.

Share this Article

Witness
“A highlight for many present was the Scripture reflection offered by a female parishioner who specifically spoke about her experience as a minister in the Church. At St. William, communal leadership and ministry are a central part of our community’s identity and values.”
St. William Catholic Community
Louisville, KY
Witness
“I have always viewed my ministry through this lens – out of service for and to the people of God. My intention was and is never to center myself in my ministry as a lay leader, rather my focus was always on how I could better uplift others in our midst. The Holy Spirit has certainly been active in the communities where I have ministered.”
Sr. Janet M. Peterworth, OSU
Community Leader, Pastoral Caregiver, Writer, Louisville, KY
Witness
“The mission of Discerning Deacons is important because they are advocating for a larger role for women in the Church, which is hard to do. Discerning Deacons is unafraid to get their hands dirty to bring about a more inclusive Church for women.”
Devon James
College Campus Minister, Cincinnati, OH

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