St. Paul the Apostle Parish's Ministry to Catholic Women
St. Paul the Apostle Parish, Pismo Beach, California
When Saints Francis and Clare met they did so on equal footing. They knew that we are all God’s children. Of course, throughout history, women have not always been treated equally; and even though society has made progress in women’s rights a lot of work remains to be done.
Pismo Beach
At St. Paul the Apostle Parish – a Conventual Franciscan-staffed church in Pismo Beach, California - the ministry to Catholic women (known as the Magnificat) keeps the equality and spirituality of women in mind. This week, the ministry has invited Kathleen Beckman - a writer and entreprenuer - to speak at its quarterly breakfast - an occasion where speakers inspire their fellow attendees not only spiritually but also to action. During the breakfast, Kathleen will speak about her own faith journey as a Catholic. Our faith-lives are not always easy. Kathleen at one point drifted away from her Catholic beliefs, but not completely. A grain of faith was still inside of her; it began to germinate again through the Blessed Mother at Lourdes. This grain of faith - with the healing help of the sacraments - also helped Kathleen and her family survive a family tragedy.
Maintaining a sense of community
In our faith-lives we need time to reflect and pray alone (as Francis did on Mount La Verna), but we also need a community to which we feel a genuine connection. Kathleen's visit to St. Paul the Apostle in Pismo Beach brings attention to this idea of community. Gathered around the breakfast table (at the Santa Maria Inn just south of Pismo Beach) listening to Kathleen share her story, the attendees will strengthen their faith and remember once again that with God anyone - whether man or woman - can overcome the challenges that creep up in life. |
