{"id":22772,"date":"2017-10-27T21:07:00","date_gmt":"2017-10-27T21:07:00","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.catholicnewsagency.com\/news\/our-time-reflections-on-the-womens-convention-56507\/"},"modified":"2017-10-27T21:07:00","modified_gmt":"2017-10-27T21:07:00","slug":"our-time-reflections-on-the-womens-convention","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.patheos.com\/blogs\/catholicnews\/2017\/10\/our-time-reflections-on-the-womens-convention\/","title":{"rendered":"Our Time: Reflections on the Women\u2019s Convention"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<\/head>

<\/p>\n

Atlanta, Ga., Oct 27, 2017 \/ 03:07 pm (CNA<\/a>).- Today, October 27, the organizers of January\u2019s historic Women\u2019s March are starting their convention in Detroit with the theme \u201cReclaiming Our Time.\u201d But while the event was covered in the news, is it really \u201cnew\u201d that women are doing just that? \u00a0<\/p>\n

The theme reminds me of a proclamation from Pope Paul VI at the Second Vatican Council, \u201cthe 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.\u201d<\/p>\n

Saint John Paul II expanded on this special quality in his 1995 Letter to Women<\/strong><\/a>, noting that women, \u201cperhaps more than men\u2026acknowledge the person.\u201d Through their gift of seeing and acknowledging others, women find new ways to give of themselves, and in doing so, achieve what they were made for: relationship with others.<\/p>\n

It is easy to see truth about women at work in the sweeping vision of the Women\u2019s March<\/a><\/strong>. Their unity principles state, \u201cWe must create a society in which women\u2026are free and able to care for and nurture their families, however they are formed, in safe and healthy environments free from structural impediments.\u201d They seek to build a world in which people of all genders, races, sexual preferences, religions, and abilities are protected and respected and in which the environment is cared for. In a beautiful, feminine way, they connect the welfare of all human beings to each other and clearly recognize the goodness of each person \u201cin their greatness and limitations.\u201d<\/p>\n

Yet the movement also misses the mark in some important ways. Sadly, their goals include \u201copen access to safe, legal, affordable abortion and birth control for all people,\u201d and they seem to embrace the view that sexual expression, marriage, and children are independent of each other.<\/p>\n

While the movement is comprised largely of women hoping to serve others, its Unity Principles also emphasize a radical sort of \u201cself-determinism\u201d which is very far from the Christian ideal of \u201cfinding oneself by losing oneself.\u201d Unsurprisingly, January\u2019s March itself led to disunity- though it was supposed to give all women a voice, the organizers disinvited pro-life women.<\/p>\n

And disconnected from that \u201cspiritual beauty\u201d which \u201cGod bestowed\u2026in a particular way on women,\u201d vulgarity abounded at the protests.<\/p>\n

The Women\u2019s March movement is beautiful, ugly, virtuous, vice-filled, impressive, messy, and in a word \u2013 human.\u00a0 It will likely lead to both good and evil: how much of each remains to be seen.<\/p>\n

Thankfully, for a woman of faith, \u201cwomen\u2019s time\u201d does not depend on participating in a huge, visible movement of millions. As John Paul II said, real human social progress \u201coften develops in an inconspicuous way beginning with the daily relationships between people, especially within the family.\u201d<\/p>\n

You probably already know \u201cinconspicuous\u201d women who are living their \u201chour.\u201d I can think of a mom who serves on our town\u2019s city council. I can think of women who are re-envisioning pregnancy care centers through the creation of Guiding Star <\/a><\/strong>clinics. I can think of women who spend their days helping others escape domestic violence. I can think of friends who embraced a religious vocation. I can think of a neighbor who decided to offer people on the street a place to get warm one winter and has spent every day since ministering through friendship to the poor, addicted, and prostitutes in my town. I can think of friends who have been through horrible experiences, but who use those experiences to help others. I can think of the many, many women I know who make great sacrifices to raise and educate their children.<\/p>\n

I\u2019ve seen the \u201cfeminine genius\u201d explode in other pro-woman grassroots efforts, too. One humble movement started in 2012 when two women penned an open letter stating that those who held up contraception as the sum of women\u2019s health, freedom, and equality did not speak for all women.<\/p>\n

That letter received tens of thousands of signatures, was read in Congress, and caught the attention of the Daily Show. What started as a letter eventually turned into the Women Speak for Themselves <\/a><\/strong>movement, uniting women around the country who want \u201cto speak\u2026about how\u00a0women are disadvantaged\u00a0respecting dating and marriage, especially\u00a0because of contraception and abortion, and about how to\u00a0reconnect sex with marriage and children\u00a0for the good of all people.\u201d<\/p>\n

I\u2019m privileged to be a part of this movement, which includes non-religious and religious members, \u201cspeaking for myself\u201d with other women through rallies, service days, social media campaigns, and in other ways. \u00a0<\/p>\n

To be sure, there are still obstacles which \u2013 in the words of Pope John Paul II \u2013 \u201ckeep women from being fully integrated into social, political and economic life,\u201d even today. But the good news is that we don\u2019t have to wait for these obstacles to be removed to do good in our communities.<\/p>\n

All we must do to live our \u201chour\u201d is ask of ourselves, \u201cHow am I called to serve?\u201d\u00a0 WSFT members, and millions of average women, have been responding to that call for a long time. We\u2019ll keep responding to it. We don\u2019t need to participate in the \u201cWomen\u2019s Convention\u201d to know our impact, and our value. Our time has already started and will continue for the good of all people.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n

\u2026..
\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 \u00a0
\nLaura Doroski is a homeschooling mother\u00a0to four young children. A graduate of Oglethorpe University in Atlanta, GA, Laura founded the college\u2019s Catholic Student Union and\u00a0Students for Life. She is a member of Women Speak for Themselves.<\/em><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

\n<\/a>\n<\/div>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n<\/body><\/html>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

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