Holy Women

Some of you may recall the Friday Gospel reading from a couple of weeks ago wherein the "Holy Women" who followed Jesus and cared for his material needs were described. I happened to be serving Mass that day with a teenaged girl from a large family, and joked, “Perhaps, if you don’t become a religious sister, you can be a holy woman and care for priests.”

While it may be easy to skip over this short passage from the Gospels, or to make jokes about it, the truth of the matter is that much of the work of the Church is accomplished by the various “holy women” of every generation. Time and again, I am struck when I realize that the success of my endeavors comes not from my own effort, but as a result of the prayers of the women who make daily visits to the Blessed Sacrament, or who offer their daily Rosaries for me. My Director of Vocations often comments that when we (priests and seminarians) arrive in heaven, we will be shocked to learn how little we prayed when compared to the prayers offered on our behalf. I am forced to concur.

However, the work of the “holy women” is not limited to prayer. Everywhere I look in the parish, women are doing the work of the Church. The lectors of my parish are predominantly women, and a large number of Extraordinary Ministers of Holy Communion are also women. Many of the altar servers are girls, and it is largely women who clean and decorate the Church, who manage the various office positions, and who coordinate parish programs like religious education and RCIA. Most do this, not for recognition or for a paycheck, but out of a deep love for Christ and his Church. And, they do this while still managing to care for their families, and working in their secular jobs. Simply put, priests depend upon the work of the “holy women.” They are necessary for the advancement of the mission of the Church.

So, here’s to all of you who are among the Holy Women of your parish. Thank you for all that you do for priests, for seminarians, and for the Church. Thank you for saying “yes” when Father asks, “Would you be willing to . . .” We appreciate the work that you do.