Strong Women of Faith

We live in a world that encourages young women to be anything and everything they dream to be. Women now receive more college degrees than ever before. We run businesses, lead nations, and make discoveries in science. It’s an empowering place to live, albeit not perfect, but it has taken on a more positive direction than where we were 25 and certainly 50 years ago.

To me, the greatest struggle of my faith life is reconciling being a feminist (link to http://areyouafeminist.com/) who believes that women can do everything men can, with a religion that doesn’t always feel the same. I don’t have the solution and I don’t think  this is a problem that can be solved in a single moment- or a single blog post.  I do, however, think in times of doubt I can turn to the beautiful, strong women who have served as strong leaders and great beacons of hope for women of faith. These ladies can show us how many awesome things Catholic women can do!

Catherine Doherty- Born a Russian Baroness in 1896, she worked as a nurse, writer, and an advocate for social justice. She emigrated to England and then Canada, converting to Catholicism and leaving behind her title and riches. She founded Friendship House and Madonna House[WU1] , soup kitchens for the poor. She is now a “Servant of God,” the first step on the road to sainthood.

Saint Katherine Drexel- An American Heiress, she visited the west and saw the poverty for Native Americans and African Americans at the time. She decided to become a nun and use her large inheritance to help the poor. She started an order of sisters, the Sisters of the Blessed Sacrament[WU2] . She also founded Xavier University in New Orleans and other schools across the country for minorities.

Jean Donovan- I’m pretty sure she is the Ke$ha of Catholic women. It is reported thatshe poured alcohol on her cereal and wasn’t afraid to swear. However, she felt a strong call from God to go into service, prompting her to travel to El Salvador as a lay Maryknoll missionary. When things became dangerous in El Salvador, she remained in the country, dedicated to the children and poor in risk. Gravely, her dedication to the poor of El Salvador resulted in her murder[WU3] .

Nuns on the Bus[WU4] - These fiery sisters, lead by Sister Simon Campbell, during the 2012 election boarded a bus and toured the country, speaking on working with the poor and protesting cuts in aid. They continued their mission in 2013, by touring the country to speak on immigration reform. Sister Simon Campbell also spoke at the Democratic National Convention in 2012 on helping the poor.

These are just a few examples of the fearless, Catholic women leaders that have made their mark on the world. Many of our country’s hospitals and schools were founded and led by nuns. We have lists upon lists of female saints. Catholic women have had a definitive role in shaping the world and our faith and I hope they continue to do so. Who are some of your favorite female Catholic leaders?