By Sr M Luka Jueneman
The recent Women’s Conference titled “In Her Footsteps: Answering the Invitation of the Feminine Genius” held at Tannock Hall at the University of Notre Dame was a wonderful opportunity for women of all ages to gather and receive formation.
The conference was co-hosted by the Centre for Life, Marriage & Family, and the Centre for Faith Enrichment, as well as UNDA Fremantle Campus Ministry, and focused on the beauty of femininity and the mission of women in our world and church today. 100 women followed the invitation many appreciating the opportunity for intergenerational exchange.
Introduced by our MC, Syona Fernandez, Director of Retreats and Liturgies at Emmanuel Catholic College, participants were treated to a welcome address by Vicar General, the Very Rev Fr Vincent Glynn who greeted them on behalf of Archbishop Timothy Costelloe SDB.
Fr Vincent showed utmost appreciation for both physical and spiritual motherhood. He did so by reflecting on his own mother and her role on his faith journey.
His mother, explained Fr Vincent, is ‘like a sacrament’, ‘a sacrament of creation, of strength.’
Fr Vincent closed his address with a heartfelt thank you to all women for their pivotal role in the lives of all Archdiocesan parishes, especially in the transmission of the faith in sacramental programs and formation groups.
Led by Fr Vincent in prayer, the participants were then able to focus on Fra Angelico’s image of St Mary Magdalene encountering the risen Christ at the empty tomb. This was especially chosen for the conference, which was consciously held a few days after the feast day of the saint who is called ‘the apostle to the apostles.’
Professor Renee Kohler-Ryan, Deputy Executive Dean, Faculty of Education, Philosophy & Theology at the University of Notre Dame has published St Augustine, William Desmond, as well as Edith Stein (St. Teresia Benedicta of the Cross) with a forthcoming book about Stein’s Essays on Woman.
She invited participants to delve deeper into the importance of St Mary Magdalene’s life and legacy with her keynote address titled “In Her Footsteps and at Christ’s Feet: St Mary Magdalene Today.”
Professor Kohler-Ryan pointed out that our Catholic tradition has a rich way to engage with this saint.
Rather than recent portrayals of the saint who tried to re-write her story, we can know that St Mary Magdalene was never in competition or opposition to the apostles.
Instead, she walked alongside the apostles and developed her feminine genius by following in the footsteps of Mary, the Mother of God, as a woman and beloved child of God.
Through the gospel accounts that mention her, women can learn to take the time ‘to fall to Christ’s feet’ to find strength again and again, even if those dearest to them walk around distracted.
Referring to St John Paul II’s Letter to Women from where the phrase ‘feminine genius’ originates, Professor Kohler-Ryan pointed out how women imbued with the gospel are involved in education on all levels.
Women are fundamentally called towards life, living out their maternity in everything they do.
Women have the capacity for both biological and spiritual maternity, created to receive the physical and spiritual realities of others, through their relationship to reality.
In her closing remarks, Dr Kohler Ryan highlighted that it doesn’t really matter whether a woman is called to public life, leadership, or to be predominantly at home with her children. Whatever she is called to do in life, does she ask herself: Do I balance everything I do with my motherhood?
After this Spirit-filled opening of the conference, women were able to choose from various workshop sessions – one before and one after lunch. The hunger of participants for what the presenters had to give in each of the workshop rooms was tangible. Anita Parker focused on how relationships can be an expression of authentic love and healthy ways of communication in our contemporary technological age. This empowered young participants to ask questions about courtship and dating to the married women in the room. Sophia Campbell took women participating in the fertility awareness workshop on a journey of discovering the uniqueness, but also common elements of their natural cycles. Not only women struggling to conceive naturally but every woman can benefit from observing the natural signs to ensure any anomalies can be dealt with early on, and one’s fertility can be managed in line with church teachings. Jane Borg powerfully spoke about marriage and family life based on Christian principles in a secular culture sharing some of her own experience. She empowered women by encouraging them to balance faith traditions with living in society, and stating that they can find joy in trials and tribulations, that women are education drivers in the home and Catholic organisations, and very importantly that their role becomes more critical as society becomes more and more hostile to Christianity. Finally, Natalie Thomas unpacked the concept of the feminine genius, highlighting that women embody ‘in body and soul what every human person is before God: the beloved of God, who opens and receives love and life from God, to then conceive and bring new life to the world’ …and this as daughter, sister, bride and mother surrendered to God..
The lunch break between the workshop sessions in Prindiville Hall was a welcome opportunity to network and talk with other women about the learnings from the day so far, and also to enjoy the glorious weather. After the second set of workshops, an afternoon panel was held where the participants could ask questions to the presenters using a catch box microphone, as well as a QR code for anonymous questions. It became clear that women’s contribution to homes and workplaces involves an emphasis on the personal and relational. In addition, it was stressed that it is important to be connected with other women of faith and be apostles wherever we are so that our church communities can breathe new life.
A Scripture reflection and rosary prayer in Notre Dame’s Holy Spirit Chapel brought the day to a close. During the prayer, participants were invited to choose a personal resolution as a first step IN HER FOOTSTEPS and prayed a commitment prayer. Overall, the day was very empowering for the young women, young mothers, married and single women present. We are very grateful to the very generous volunteers and presenters on the day for imitating St Mary Magdalene through their actions and words to make the conference possible.