This summer bloomed with images of strong women embracing their whole selves. We watched Taylor Swift sing in sequins about how much easier things would be if she were a man. Simone Biles achieved three Olympic gold medals while advocating for the importance of mental health. And Ilona Maher took the internet by storm as she dominated the rugby field, then rocked a Sports Illustrated swimsuit cover, all while promoting the importance and beauty of all body types. Kamala Harris ran for the highest office in our country with a campaign vibrant with the belief that women can contain multitudes.
While these current cultural examples speak volumes to women’s identity, I often wonder where the images of empowered women are in the Catholic Church. After all, our perception of our foremothers in the church affects how we engage with faith and spirituality. We are consistently fed images of meek, demure women quietly living out their faith. This can be a beautiful expression, but where are the firecrackers who forged new paths?
Where are the reformers, the questioners, the women bold enough to trust themselves, who lived out a feminine spirituality?
Shannon K. Evans, a vocal proponent for women finding their voice and place within spirituality, has our answer. In her new book, The Mystics Would Like a Word: Six Women Who Met God and Found a Spirituality for Today, Evans beautifully articulates how the spirituality developed by these mystics still inspires and applies to us today.
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With thanks to the America Magazine and Alli Bobzien, where this article originally appeared.
