Catholic Women Preach

Preaching for the Third Sunday in Ordinary Time, Carmen M. Nanko-Fernández offers a refreshing reflection on the Holy Spirit, saying, "For too long we have domesticated the Holy Spirit, imagining a peaceful white dove as a comforter to support the status quo, or as an advocate without the sharp edge of advocacy."  

Preaching for the Second Sunday in Ordinary Time, Jane E. Regan offers a reflection on how we all might intentionally reflect the glory of God: "As we move into the second week in ordinary time, may we be those who intentionally reflect God’s glory through a sense of gratitude, through actions of kindness, and by nurturing within one another the voices that preach the Gospel in word and action."  

Visit www.catholicwomenpreach.org/preaching/01202019 to see Dr. Regan's preaching video or to read her text text and for more preaching from Catholic women.

Preaching for the Baptism of the Lord, Andrea Hattler Bramson offers a reflection on staying true to our vocation despite the "curve balls" that life will inevitably throw our way: "As you ponder your life, tasks, and responsibilities, let yourself doubt, like John the Baptist be confident that God accompanies us with love and mercy, and then let yourself stay TRUE to your vocation – whatever it is."  

Preaching for the Epiphany, Barbara E. Quinn, RSCJ offers a reflection on how Epiphany calls and empowers us to broaden our visions and horizons: "When the light of the Epiphany star sears our souls, it also casts a beam of light across and beyond any horizon we have imagined before, calling us to a new vision."  

Preaching for the Solemnity of Mary, Mother of God, Wamũyũ Teresia Wachira, IBVM offers a reflection inviting us ask, "What can we learn from God’s action of choosing a woman, whom we, in our world will refer to as a nobody, to carry in her womb, Jesus – God’s loving son? What can we learn from God’s choice of shepherds, who are the poorest in the society, shepherds who smell of sheep to be the first bearers of the Good News?"

Wamũyũ Teresia Wachira, IBVM -- of Kenya -- is Senior Lecturer and Programme Leader of the Peace and Conflict studies at St Paul University (an ecumenical private university) in Nairobi, Kenya. She is a member of the Board of Pax Christi International, the global Catholic peace movement.  She also serves as a member of the Advisory Committee of the IBVM – United Desk, New York; the co-coordinator of the Loreto Eastern Africa Province Justice, Peace and Integrity of Creation (JPIC) committee; and as an active member of the steering committee of the Catholic Nonviolence Initiative.

Visit www.catholicwomenpreach.org/preaching/01012019 to learn more about Wamũyũ Teresia, to read her text, and for more preaching from Catholic women.

Preaching for the Feast of the Holy Family, Kerry Weber offers a reflection on family life, sacraficial love, and reliance on God.   

Yadira Vieyra Alvarez preaches for Christmas, offering a reflection on living Christmas joy, even in difficult times: "We must remember, however, that receiving this child is a decision. If we do not accept and embrace the presence of Jesus in our daily lives, of what use is his peaceful dominion? If we do not have peace in our families, our homes, our marriages, our communities, of what use is God’s offering to us?"  

Yadira Vieyra Alvarez was appointed as an auditor at the 2018 Synod of Bishops on Young People, the Faith, and Vocational Discernment and represented the immigrant community in the United States.  Yadira Vieyra Alvarez is Research Specialist at the School of Social Service Administration at The University of Chicago, where she works on evaluating the effectiveness of doula home visiting services being provided to adolescent mothers. Yadira is also collaborating with the University of Chicago at Illinois and Immaculate Conception Parish in Brighton Park through “Fortaleciendo mi familia” – a series of sessions aimed at bringing low-intensity cognitive behavioral therapy and psychosocial support to Mexican immigrant families experiencing distress, anxiety, and depression due to exposure to community violence, financial challenges, and migration-related worries. She attended Cristo Rey Jesuit High School and later moved to Washington D.C. where she completed her bachelor’s degree in Psychology and Theology from Georgetown University. She received her Masters of Science from Erikson Institute in Chicago, a premier graduate school in early child development. As part of her commitment to urban Catholic Education, Yadira has also served in a variety of ministerial and catechetical roles including the Leadership Advisory Council at Cristo Rey Jesuit High School.   

Visit www.catholicwomenpreach.org/preaching/12252018 to read Yadira's text, and for more preaching from Catholic women.

Preaching for the Fourth Sunday of Advent, Sara Fairbanbks, OP offers a reflection on how we might birth Christ into our own time and culture: "As we celebrate the birth of Christ this Christmas, how can we birth Christ in our time and culture? What steps can we take to overcome racial injustices in our country? Like Elizabeth and Mary, will we, too, be full of grace? How will we labor with God, who brings down the powerful and lifts up the lowly so that as sisters and brothers we may live in dignity and equality as the one family of God?"  

Dr. Sara Fairbanks, OP, is an Adrian Dominican Sister. She is currently a professor of homiletics at Aquinas Institute in Saint Louis, Missouri. Before going to Aquinas, she taught systematic theology for twenty years at Barry University in Miami, Florida. Sara holds a Master of Theology from Aquinas Institute of Theology in St. Louis and a Doctorate in Theology at the University of St. Michael’s College, the Toronto School of Theology in Toronto, Canada.  Her areas of expertise are homiletics, theology of lay ecclesial ministry, theology of preaching, practical theology and Christian anthropology.  

Visit www.catholicwomenpreach.org/preaching/12232018 to learn more about Sara and to read her text, and for more preaching from Catholic women for every Sunday of the year.