By TAMI QUIGLEY Staff writer
“I’m grateful to be here with you today,” Bishop Alfred Schlert told the 120 women gathered for “Breakfast with the Bishop” hosted by Diocesan Commission for Women (CFW) April 6 at the Cathedral of St. Catharine of Siena, Allentown.
“You’ve shared such a sisterly spirit here this morning – enjoying each other’s company as women of faith,” Bishop Schlert said as he shared an inspiring reflection at the breakfast.
The Bishop thanked CFW and Mary Fran Hartigan, secretary of the Diocesan Secretariat for Catholic Life and Evangelization and liaison to CFW, for “pulling this all together.”
The morning began with Bishop Schlert celebrating an 8 a.m. Mass, followed by recitation of the rosary, breakfast and a Lenten reflection by the Bishop, during which he discussed “the synthesis of where we’ve been in this Lenten season.”
Deacon Robert Snyder of the Cathedral assisted at the liturgy.
The event offered women of the Diocese an opportunity to gather together during the season of Lent for prayer and fellowship.
Susan Teaford, chair of CFW, welcomed those gathered at the breakfast.
Bishop Schlert said at a previous Lenten gathering hosted by the Diocesan Commission for Men, he told the men the Church needs their masculinity. By the same token, “The Church needs your femininity,” he told the women.
“We’re living in strange times. There’s much division between us, including the division between the genders,” Bishop Schlert said. He said some say the genders are not separate and different, but they are. “They are equal but different.”
“Good things are made into us by the creator that make us men and women, and they complement each other.”
Bishop Schlert said St. Pope John Paul II coined the term “female genius.” He noted the Pope lost his own mother at an early age, and had a great devotion to the Blessed Mother.
“The things women offer to the Church are vast, I can’t even name them all,” the Bishop said.
Bishop Schlert said though women cannot receive Holy Orders, the female genius has contributed so much to the Church, such as Mary Magdalene at the tomb, great saints and those not declared saints, and women who are mothers, wives, religious sisters and nuns. When women couldn’t be presidents of hospitals and administrators of colleges and universities, religious women were.
He said children first learn their faith from their mother and father, “and especially, in my experience, at the knee of their mother.”
“Spirituality is different based on gender. They’re wired differently,” Bishop Schlert said, referencing the book “Men Are From Mars, Women Are From Venus.”
The Bishop said men and women are even different in the confessional. “Men list their sins. Women are much more reflective about their confession, and sometimes talk about the circumstances that led to the sin. There’s Mars and Venus in confession, too.”
“It’s to our detriment when we don’t think there’s difference in gender.”
“God knew that physically, emotionally and spiritually men need women, and women need men. The Church, as a family of faith, knows we need that,” Bishop Schlert said.
Men and women approach Lent differently, he said, such as in a family the spouses may decide to do something for Lent but how they do it will be different.
“We are rapidly coming to the end of Lent,” the Bishop said, and asked the women to reflect in a quiet moment, “How has Lent been?”
“Maybe we haven’t been completely faithful to what we were going to do or not do,” Bishop Schlert said.
“But we’re coming into the last laps of the race in Lent. At the end of a physical race, people shout the loudest to stick with it and don’t give up,” the Bishop said. “If you haven’t been as faithful in what you were going to do or not do, don’t give up.
“It’s not important if the runner slowed up but that they finished.”
In these waning days of Lent, Bishop Schlert emphasized the importance of prayer, fasting and almsgiving.
“Prayer leads to constant discernment,” he said. As for fasting, there are certain days the Church imposes on us – Ash Wednesday and Good Friday – and some people fast on additional days. “Just don’t make it about ourselves, like it’s an endurance contest we can win. That’s a good attitude at the gym, but not for Lent.”
The Bishop said almsgiving involves our treasure, but also our time and talent. “You can give gifts that are not financial but are needed by the Church and community. When we give, we’re enriched by that. Whatever you’re giving, it would be wonderful if it continues after Lent.”
How do we live with prayer, fasting and almsgiving synthesized?
“Make a good Lenten confession,” Bishop Schlert encouraged. “Say, ‘I’m going to restart’ if you haven’t done that well with your Lenten practice. Get a partner to help you with your Lenten practice,” he said, noting when you have a partner for running or walking, it nudges your conscience.
“You can have an accountability partner at the gym, and also a spiritual accountability partner,” he said, adding your spouse may serve as this partner.
“All of us are called to accompanying each other in the proper way to Christ,” Bishop Schlert said.
“Our baptismal call is not to become comfortable but to become holy,” the Bishop said. “To help each other get to heaven – that’s everyone’s call,” he said, adding it is the goal of married couples as well to help their spouse get to heaven.
Each woman received a rosary blessed by Bishop Schlert, as well as a small bag of pretzels with the message, “The simple shape of the pretzel arms folded in prayer reminds us to pray every day.”
The prayer with the pretzels was, “Dear God, we ask you to bless these little breads. Each time we eat them, may we be reminded of the special season we are in and that through prayer, we will become better people to each other. Let us not forget those in need of our prayers daily. Keep your loving arms around us, to protect us always. Amen.”
