SPIRITUAL MOTHERHOOD

Transcription

1 WOMEN OF GRACE WEBINAR SPIRITUAL MOTHERHOOD The CALL: The Church s plea to all women The VISION: Mary s spiritual motherhood of souls, especially of priest souls The PROMISE: Woman: God s special weapon against evil.

2 Call: The Church s Plea to Women 1. Vatican II Fathers (1965): But the hour is coming, in fact has come, when the vocation of woman is being achieved in its fullness, the hour in which woman acquires in the world an influence, an effect, and a power never hitherto achieved. That is why, at this moment when the human race is undergoing so deep a transformation, women impregnated with the spirit of the Gospel can do much to aid mankind in not falling. 2. Congregation for the Clergy (2007): The present situation of the Church in a secularized world and the subsequent crisis of faith has the pope, bishops, priests and faithful looking for a way forward. At the same time, it is becoming increasingly clear that the real solution lies in the interior renewal of priests, and in this context the so-called spiritual maternity for priests assumes a special role. Through being spiritual mothers, women participate in the universal motherhood of Mary...The vocation to be a spiritual mother for priests is largely unknown, scarcely understood and, consequently, rarely lived, notwithstanding its fundamental importance. It is a vocation that is frequently hidden, invisible to the naked eye, but meant to transmit spiritual life.

3 Vision: Spiritual Motherhood Acronym: F.I.A.T. Faith. Intercession. Adoration. Trust. 1. Mary is the icon of spiritual motherhood. Priests receive the first fruits of her divine maternity. All spiritual motherhood derives from the heart of Mary. 2. The Holy Spirit and Mary work together to form spiritual mothers. A spiritual mother desires to be formed by the Holy Spirit in the model of her feminine virtue. 3. Spiritual mothers transmit spiritual life to souls (especially priests) through their communion with Jesus, Eternal High Priest and Mary, Mother of Priests. 4. The Lord calls all women to imitate Mary as spiritual mother of souls. God created all women with a unique feminine dignity and the potential to bear life, both physically and spiritually. Spiritual motherhood includes birth pangs to bring forth new life for souls (priests, families, Church, world). 5. Marian Consecration is a covenant of love, formed by the power of the Holy Spirit, that results in a powerful union of one s heart with Mary s heart. Mission: Christ-bearer and Christ-birther.

4 Promise: Woman: God s special weapon against evil" For an understanding of our unique feminine nature, let us look to the pure love and spiritual maternity of Mary. This spiritual maternity is the core of a woman s soul. Wherever a woman functions authentically in this spirit of maternal pure love, Mary collaborates with her. This holds true whether the woman is married or single, professional or domestic or both, a Religious in the world or in the convent. Through this love, a woman is God s special weapon in His fight against evil. Her intrinsic value is that she is able to do so because she has a special susceptibility for the works of God in souls her own and others. She relates to others in His spirit of love. - St. Edith Stein Everywhere the need exists for maternal sympathy and help, and thus we are able to recapitulate in the one word motherliness that which we have developed as the characteristic value of woman. Only, the motherliness must be that which does not remain within the narrow circle of blood relations or of personal friends; but in accordance with the model of the Mother of Mercy, it must have its root in universal divine love for all who are there, belabored and burdened. - St. Edith Stein

5 Promise: Spiritual Motherhood of Priests On pilgrimage to Rome, when she was only 14 years old, Therese came to understand her vocation to be a spiritual mother for priests. In her autobiography, she describes that after meeting many holy priests on her trip to Italy, she understood their weaknesses and frailty in spite of their sublime dignity. If holy priests show in their conduct their extreme need for prayers, what is to be said of those who are tepid? St. Therese of Lisieux Jesus to Venerable Conchita Cabrera: Thus I want priests, possessed of the Holy Spirit and forgetful of themselves, all for God, all for souls. Let them ask for this reaction, this new Pentecost, for my Church needs holy priests through the Holy Spirit. The world collapses, because faithful priests are lacking who would draw it out of the abyss in which it finds itself; priests of light who would rescue so many hearts from the mire; priests on fire who would fill up the whole universe with divine love. Ask, cry out to heaven, offer the Word, so that all things may be restored in Me, though the Holy Spirit and through Mary. Concepcion Cabrera de Armida (Conchita)

6 Mary s Role in the Defeat of Evil Mary exemplifies the role of woman in the salvation of the world which is the battlefield between good and evil, life and death. From the book of Genesis to Revelation, the Evil One and the Woman are in battle. The war on maternity is a crime whose horror threatens the future of humanity and is in fact a satanic attack on Mary. Gertud von le Fort Mary proclaims Christ s victory over evil, sin and death Faith (in the Divine Will) vs. Satan s rebellion Hope vs. Satan s despair Love vs. Satan s hatred Surrender (Obedience of Faith) vs. Satan s disobedience Humility (Magnify the Lord) vs. Satan s pride Life-bearer vs. Satan s death-bearing Sinless vs. Satan s perpetuation of sin

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