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Why, indeed. \u200bMy friends, the very best reason to do something is because God asks you to. A close second is because the devil doesn\u2019t want <\/span><\/span>you to do it and whispers in your ear that what you\u2019re doing isn\u2019t worth it, and\u00a0you should<\/i>\u00a0just give up\u200b<\/i>.<\/p>\n \u200bApparently God made me extraordinarily stubborn for such a time as this, because \u200bI <\/span><\/span>will NOT quit, and I will NOT give up<\/span><\/span>.\u200b<\/p>\n \u00a0<\/span><\/span>Time after time, God has shown me that women <\/span><\/span>absolutely \u200bdo<\/i><\/b>\u00a0\u200bneed conferences like this. And, like the little boy giving <\/span><\/span>Jesus \u200bwhat he had to help feed the <\/span><\/span>crowds in this past Sunday\u2019s Gospel, I believe God <\/span><\/span>\u200bcan take what precious <\/span><\/span>little I \u200bgive and use it to bless <\/span><\/span>and heal \u200bwomen,<\/span><\/span> \u200btheir\u200b families, <\/span><\/span>whole communities, and\u00a0<\/span><\/span>our broken and beautiful world<\/span><\/span>, all for \u200bHis greater glory.<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n \u200bIn today\u2019s society, <\/span><\/span>by merely striving to be faithful and joyful<\/span><\/span>, \u200bwhat we Catholic women are doing is completely and <\/span><\/span>\u200btotally counter-cultural. <\/span><\/span>That\u2019s right \u2013 we\u2019re rebels. The Pacific NW<\/span><\/span>,\u200b where I live\u200b, <\/span><\/span>\u200bis \u200bconsistently named <\/span><\/span>one of \u200bthe most unchurched area<\/span><\/span>s\u200b in the nation, <\/span><\/span>with \u200bCatholics a<\/span><\/span>sthe crystal clear minority. And we can feel it. We hear:<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n \u201cYou know what causes that, don\u2019t you?\u201d <\/span><\/span>as we shop with our children \u200bin the grocery store.<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n \u201cHow come you \u200blet a bunch of old men in Rome to tell you what to do?\u201d <\/span><\/span>\u200bas we toil \u200bin the workplace.<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n \u201cWhy aren\u2019t you taking more time for yourself and going on some exotic vacation?\u201d \u200bas we peruse social media.<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n \u201cWhy do you need to confess your sins to a priest?\u201d as we chat withour friends.<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n \u201cIsn\u2019t it enough to just be a good person?\u201d as we talk withour neighbors.<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n \u201cLive and let live, man,\u201d \u200bas we\u2019re told by our legislature.<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n \u201cThat may be your truth, but it\u2019s not my truth,\u200b\u201d <\/span><\/span>and, my favorite: \u201cBe more tolerant,\u201d as society in general <\/span><\/span>drifts further and further away from the Truth\u200b.<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n Between you and me, as a Catholic woman, I have felt <\/span><\/span>very \u200balone<\/span><\/span> in our society\u200b. I have felt isolated. I have felt <\/span><\/span>\u200bextremely \u200bdiscouraged. <\/span><\/span>I have believed the lie that I am the only one trying to do this work \u2013 this beautiful, difficult, amazing work \u2013 that Catholic women do. \u200bI have cried myself to sleep, wondering *where my people* <\/span><\/span>were<\/span><\/span>, and whether I would ever find them.\u200b<\/p>\n<\/div>\n Catholic Women Rejoice and other conferences like it \u200bexist because <\/span><\/span>someone decided to take a chance on the idea that \u200bwomen\u00a0<\/span><\/span>need to have a place \u2013 even if it\u2019s only once a year \u2013 to gather together <\/span><\/span>outside of Sunday Mass \u200band know that <\/span><\/span>\u200bwe are <\/span><\/span>most certainly\u00a0\u200b<\/i>not\u00a0<\/i>alone<\/span><\/span>, that who we are as Catholic women matters, and that the gift of our faith is something for which we should rejoice!\u200b<\/p>\n At a typical Catholic women\u2019s conference, participants are free to be fully themselves without fear or worry.\u200bA woman can bless herself and her food before eating and no one will give it a second thought. Another can nurse her baby while enjoying a conversation. Someone can be comforted in her struggles with infertility. Another can ask questions about the Pope\u2019s latest encyclical. Another can steal away to the Adoration Chapel for a few quiet, child-free moments with Jesus. No one will be accused of being a Papist. Or a bigot. Or an idol-worshipper. Or a hater. Or a breeder. Or a weirdo.\u00a0We can celebrate Mass, go to confession, and pray. We can sing, laugh, and praise. \u200bWe can ask Mary and the saints and each other to pray for our needs. We can eat good food that is still warm that we didn\u2019t have to prepare ourselves.\u00a0And, you know what? We can have FUN.\u00a0You know, like, <\/span><\/span>smiling \u2019til your face hurts, laughing \u2019til you can\u2019t breathe anymore,\u00a0\u200b<\/b>fun<\/b>.<\/span><\/p>\n I honestly believe that <\/span><\/span>Catholic conferences and eventsuplift women and reinvigorate them to go back into the world and do God\u2019s will <\/span><\/span>through their individual vocation*, whatever <\/span><\/span>it may be. <\/span><\/span>They remind us that we are not alone. They remind us that we are Catholic. And that we are women \u2013 wonderfully, fearfully, and beautifully made. And because of these things, we are free to truly rejoice. \u200b<\/p>\n<\/div>\n I\u2019m grateful to Rebecca today for letting me share my heart in her space. And I\u2019m indebted to\u00a0Jennifer<\/a>\u00a0and\u00a0Hallie<\/a>\u00a0for\u00a0Edel<\/a>, because that\u2019s where I first met Rebecca in real life. <\/span><\/span>Rebecca is one of my \u201cshe gets it people.\u201d<\/p>\n So, even if women\u2019s conferences aren\u2019t your thing or you can\u2019t attend <\/span><\/span>or organize one\u200b this year for whatever reason, I\u2019d be so grateful for your prayers.<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n![\"Behold](\"https:\/\/wp-media.patheos.com\/blogs\/sites\/458\/2015\/07\/Behold-SM-Motto-300x300.png\")
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![\"CWR12\"](\"https:\/\/wp-media.patheos.com\/blogs\/sites\/458\/2015\/07\/CWR12-225x300.jpg\")
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