Catholic women share spirit
CRANBERRY TWP — More than 700 women of “kindred spirit” listened to words of encouragement Saturday morning.
The 2016 Conference of Catholic Women at Cardinal Wuerl North Catholic High School was hosted by the Diocese of Pittsburgh. Audience members came from Butler, Beaver and Allegheny counties.
After a prayer service led by Bishop David Zubik, attendees listened to the stories of three guest speakers whose common thread is living their lives through the Catholic faith.
“I think there will be no better time when women can come together and share, heart to heart, what it means to be women, what it means to be mothers,” said Sister Rosemary Nyirumbe.
Nyirumbe, a nun from Uganda, shared her story of taking in women and children to protect them from the violence and sexual exploitation plaguing her country by the Lord's Resistance Army and its leader, Joseph Kony.
Nyirumbe is a member of the Sisters of the Sacred Heart of Jesus based in Juba, South Sudan, and director of the Saint Monica Girls' Tailoring Center in Gulu, Uganda. Since 2002, she has enrolled more than 2,000 girls.
She said many of the people she takes in have suffered abduction, rape and torture.
“I knew it was going to bring me a lot of opposition from the church leaders, from fellow Christians and even from some of my fellow sisters,” Nyirumbe said of taking in the girls. “I took the risk of making a radio announcement inviting these women, saying, 'If you are out there, come as you are.'”
“I knew in making that announcement, the rebels themselves would hear it and that would put us at risk. But I was not afraid at that point,” she said.
Nyirumbe was named a CNN Hero in 2007 and one of Time Magazine's “100 Most Influential People” list in 2014.
She also spoke Saturday about the power of showing mercy and forgiveness to others.
“All of us deserve the mercy and sympathy of God,” Nyirumbe said. “He has forgiven us and Jesus came and died for us. Who are we not to forgive?”
Helen Alvaré spoke about the challenge of Catholic women integrating their faith into modern times.Alvaré is a law professor at George Mason University School of Law, where she teaches family law and law and religion.Alvaré also publishes work in various outlets concerning marriage, parenting, nonmarital households and the First Amendment religion clauses.She spoke Saturday about the focus on individuality and less group participation in modern society, as well as focus on materialism.The conference's third speaker was Olympic cross-country skier and world champion Rebecca Dussault.Dussault spoke about her life growing up as a Catholic and an athlete.“My athletic career started on the couch,” Dussault said. I was 4 years old and watching the 1984 Olympics. I was so moved, I told my mom I want to be an Olympian. She reminded me her whole life, 'You said that when you were four.'”Dussault was part of the 2006 Winter Olympic cross-country ski team. In 2010, she became a world champion, winning that year's International Triathlon Union winter triathlon in Norway.However, she said her busy athletic life was getting in the way of her family life and Catholic life.She has four children now, with a fifth on the way.She also shared her message of being happy and “fully alive” in her faith.“I don't mean happiness that your package came in on time or happiness that your hair dresser gave you half off this cut,” she said. “I mean happiness welling off from a source of unshakable joy where this is peace the world cannot give.”
“It's amazing we all believe in God,” she continued. “Sometimes what hasn't fallen on our Catholic, Christian minds is that God believes in us.”Dussault also told audience members how athletics can impede people's faith.“Are we doing things which give scandal, which cause us to miss Mass?” she said. “Sport has become a god, even more so than in my day.”However, she said people can be athletic “mentally, spiritually or instrumentally.”“Whatever it is, do it athletically. Do it for the glory of God,” she said.
