In Jesus’ times, no one among the poor was poorer than a widow, a woman without a man, hence without either rights or protection. The world and the society in which Jesus lived and moved were basically structured on a patriarchal model; women were invisible in society with the kind of invisibility typical of a legal status of minority, indeed of exclusion. The originality of Christ’s behaviour must be integrated into this historical truth. In fact, Jesus saw, looked, noted and connected his life with the lives of the women who followed him, loved him and accompanied him even to his death.

Whereas the gaze of Simon the Pharisee (cf. Lk 7:36) – as Maria dell’Orto wrote – saw and judged, scrutinized and condemned, excluding people, Christ’s gaze set people on their feet, identified and recognized them. In so doing he invited all, both women and men, to discernment, to asking themselves questions and to communion. In this perspective a panoramic view of Christian history leads one to consider those prophetic and charismatic female figures who, by their personal authority, in turbulent centuries, contributed to evangelizing a still pagan world and/or a Church which was hostile and divided: Saints Genevieve, Clotilda, Joan of Arc, Hildegard of Bingen, Catherine of Siena…
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Our director, Rev. Dr. Jan Bigland-Pritchard, is available about once a month to preach in various churches. She will bring a message on Christian unity and reconciliation that will be of great benefit to all. If you wish to have her speak in your church, give us a call to arrange a date. Dates are
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Scripturefest with Dr. Jo-Ann Badley at Queen’s House of Retreats (601 Taylor St. West, Saskatoon) January 21, 2006 from 9 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Pre-registration required, $35. Co-sponsored by Queen’s House, RC Diocese of Saskatoon, and the Prairie Centre for Ecumenism.

What do you do when you’ve been given the gift of preaching and you’re a Catholic woman? Marie-Louise Ternier-Gommers faced that dilemma. Ironically, she discovered her gift for preaching at the Lutheran Theological Seminary (LTS) where she enrolled in 1990 with the intention of taking a class or two to better equip her for the
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