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Young Women and Catholicism
What would you write if someone asked you to reflect on your Catholic or spiritual identity? What would you zero in on as a key story, insight, metaphor, or image that could illustrate the vastness of what it means for a person to be Catholic or to belong to a particular spiritual or religious tradition?
This was the gift and the challenge given to a number of young Catholic women by editors Kate Dugan and Jen Owens. The result, over the course of 3 years of imagining, researching, organizing, writing, editing, and publishing is the book From the Pews in the Back: Young Women and Catholicism
I am honored to have an essay included in this collection. Initially I was planning on writing about my journey into vowed religious life as a Catholic, but the more I pondered the questions that Kate and Jen posed to us, the more I realized how profoundly formative being Catholic is for me. So I wrote instead about being a kid with a dad in the folk group (ensemble of singers and instruments leading music at a Mass or liturgy) and what it was like to explore the church while my dad practiced, how the “stuff” of Catholicism seeped into my imagination and helped me to make connections outside of the church building.
In reading the whole collection of essays and memoirs, I was amazed at the sheer diversity of experiences that other young women had as Catholics. At the same time, I could relate to what each was saying, that is, I could find an echo of their experience in my own.
I encourage you to check out the book From the Pews in Back: Young Women and Catholicism
Also, I’d love to hear from you about the initial question posed: What would you zero in on as a key story, insight, metaphor, or image that could illustrate the vastness of what it means for a person to be Catholic or to belong to a particular spiritual or religious tradition?
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{ 4 comments }
Sr. Julie,
I read your essay and it was throughly inspiring and enlighting too! Thank you so much for telling your story!
And Congrads!
Clare
My answer would be two words: Love and Grace. I am not catholic, but went to sunday school in the catholic tradition, and share much Love for the Catholic Spirit… I confirmed Lutheran because I think Luther had many things right. Not that the Lutheran church does, but does anyone?
I enjoy this site. I am called to it everytime I blog. I enjoy what you all are doing to reach out to people spiritually!
I just picked this book up from the library through inter-library loan. I am excited to read it, and I looked up your essay first, Sr. Julie!
Hi Sister Julie,
While I haven’t had an opportunity to read this book yet, it’s on my list.
When we were growing up, my parents took our family to Mass everyday and prayed the rosary with us frequently … even in the car when we took our summer trips to the seashore. Now, Mass and Rosary are an integral part of my daily life.
God bless my Dad and Mom.
Peace to all,
Kathleen