Last fall on a plane to D.C. for the Ignatian Family Teach-In I listened to The Mystics Would Like a Word by Shannon Evans. In the text Shannon details the lives of six indomitable female mystics– Teresa of Ávila, Margery Kempe, Hildegard of Bingen, Julian of Norwich, Catherine of Siena, and Thérèse of Lisieux– and delves into some lessons from their lives that we can embody today. Shannon writes with such a relevant voice that when listening to her words it felt like Hildegard, Julian and the others were old friends from college– not Christian mystics from ages past. I was captivated by hearing their stories in a new way, and intrigued by the ways that Shannon found contemporary lessons in their ancient journeys and struggles.

Last week FutureChurch was delighted to host Shannon in a conversation about the book. (You can watch the recording here.) In the conversation Shannon shared that she narrowed the list of female mystics to those who had books published, because it was important to her to hear the words of the women themselves when writing their stories. She lamented that while there were so many worthwhile women to write about, restrictions on the roles and voices of women meant that so few were able to bring their thoughts to paper in the way that her chosen mystics found a way to do. This makes the stories that we do have all the more sacred, and makes me all the more grateful for authors like Shannon who midwife the stories into our contemporary world in new and beautiful ways. 

If you’ve read The Mystics Would Like a Word, or plan to in the next few weeks, FutureChurch will be hosting a follow-up book discussion on Wednesday, February 5th. (Register here!) After beginning with prayer, attendees will have the opportunity to choose a small group based on the particular mystic they would like to discuss with others. After small groups, we'll come together for a large group conversation to share insights and thoughts from small groups. I hope to see you on the 5th, as together we share ways in which we have listened to the words of these mystics in our own lives.

FutureChurch welcomes those who have read or are reading The Mystics Would Like a Word by Shannon K. Evans to join with others via Zoom as we discuss the six women presented. After beginning with prayer, attendees will have the opportunity to choose a small group based on the particular mystic they would like to discuss with others. After small groups, we'll come together for a large group conversation to share insights and thoughts from small groups. 

Please note: those who registered for our conversation with author, Shannon Evans, have been preregistered for this discussion. To view a recording of that event, click here.

About the Book:  

Is there a Christian spirituality that embraces the entire reality of womanhood? In her new book, Shannon K. Evans suggests the answer is an emphatic 'yes.' There is a spirituality that meets us in every part of our lives, developed by the women who came before us. Six mystics—Teresa of Ávila, Margery Kempe, Hildegard of Bingen, Julian of Norwich, Catherine of Siena, and Thérèse of Lisieux—revealed a faith big enough to hold the female experiences of sex and desire, the yearning for bodily autonomy, the challenges of motherhood and identity, as well as life with male authority and—sometimes—violence. These women, self-determining, stubborn, and unapologetically themselves, asked questions in their time that are startlingly prescient today, and fought for women’s experiences to be heard, understood, respected, and recognized as holy.

Shannon K. Evans is the spirituality and culture editor at the National Catholic Reporter and the author of the books Feminist Prayers for My Daughter: Powerful Petitions for Every Stage of Her Life and Rewilding Motherhood: Your Path to an Empowered Feminine Spirituality. 

Join FutureChurch as we welcome Daryl Grigsby for a conversation on living for the Common Good.

“Why am I still Catholic in light of the clergy abuse crisis, the Church’s teachings about and practices toward women and members of the LGTBQ+ community, the Church’s own complicity in and inadequate response to societal racism, and other scandals and issues?”

Author and commentator Daryl Grigsby set out to answer this question for himself by writing his newest book, Catholics for the Common Good: An Eternal Offering (Paulist Press, 2024). In it, he profiles 36 contemporary Catholics who have worked for justice and human dignity. He features Catholics from diverse national and racial backgrounds; religious, lay, and ordained.

This event will take place on February 12th at 7:00pm ET. Then, on February 26th at 7:00pm ET, FutureChurch will host a follow-up group discussion on the text.

Daryl Grigsby is an author and commentator on contemporary Catholic issues. A retired public works director, he also holds a Master’s Degree in Theology and Pastoral Studies from Seattle University and is a graduate of the Sabbatical Renewal Program at the Jesuit School of Theology of Santa Clara University. He is a board member for Leadership Foundations, which resolves critical urban challenges around the world, and for FutureChurch. Grigsby is the author of In Their Footsteps: Inspirational Reflections on Black History for Every Day of the Year and is a frequent contributor to National Catholic Reporter and Black Catholic Messenger.

Join FutureChurch as we welcome Sr. Christine Schenk for a conversation about her newest book!

Bending Toward Justice (Rowman Littlefield, 2024) tells the story of the rampant closings of Catholic parishes across the United States and documents the courageous advocacy of Sr. Kate Kuenstler and hundreds—indeed thousands—of ordinary Catholics whose persistence charted a new course in canon law. Sr. Kuenstler's expertise eventually gave increased leverage to the laity—and their parishes—in the struggle to preserve their parish homes, especially in ethnically diverse and poor neighborhoods. 

Christine Schenk, CSJ has worked as a nurse midwife to low-income families, a community organizer, an award-winning writer-researcher, and the founding director of an international church reform organization, FutureChurch.  Her first book Crispina and Her Sisters: Women and Authority in Early Christianity (Fortress Press, 2017) received a first place in history from the Catholic Press Association and her most recent work, To Speak the Truth in Love: A Biography of Sr. Theresa Kane RSM (Orbis Books 2019) received first place awards from The Association of Catholic Publishers and the Catholic Press Association. 

Schenk also writes a regular column for the National Catholic Reporter and is one of three nuns featured in the award-winning documentary Radical Grace. Schenk graduated Magna Cum Laude from Georgetown University and holds two masters’ degrees, one in science from Boston College and an MA in Theology "with distinction" from St. Mary Seminary and Graduate School of Theology in Cleveland.