WHEN WOMEN COME TOGETHER

Having listed some of the works of charity and the people whose lives they touched in his diocese, Bishop de Mazenod now turns to those who are the ministers of charity.

In the first place, he emphasizes the importance of the many women who formed themselves into associations to care for the sick, for orphans, for domestic servants, for reformed prostitutes, for the victims of cholera,  the fish sellers at the markets, just to mention a few. Eugene cannot speak of these charitable works

without mentioning the zeal and generosity of those pious associations of ladies who support our charitable establishments in our city of Marseilles, where they distinguish themselves by such a perfect spirit and by all the virtues of the Christian woman, the only true strong woman, which I emphasize is generally true throughout France.

Pastoral letter of Bishop de Mazenod to the Diocese of Marseilles for Lent 1847

REFLECTION

“Any time women come together with a collective intention, it’s a powerful thing. Whether it’s sitting down making a quilt, in a kitchen preparing a meal, in a club reading the same book, or around the table playing cards, or planning a birthday party, when women come together with a collective intention, magic happens.”

Phylicia Rashad