Have you spent any time with women prophets lately? If you are wondering exactly how to answer this question or if you’re asking what is the vocation of a prophet, here is your “prophet measuring tool”:
- Prophets are vessels of communication between God and the people.
- Prophets’ encounters with God come in the midst of everyday life.
- Prophets’ objections are always met with assurances of God’s help.
- Prophets’ resistance to their call comes because of the anticipated suffering likely to be encountered in their exercise of prophecy.
During this retreat, you will encounter Old Testament women prophets: Miriam, Deborah, Huldah & Noadiah. You’ll also encounter New Testament women prophets: Anna, The Samaritan Woman, The Canaanite Woman, The Woman Who Anointed Jesus’ Head. And, you will also encounter contemporary women prophets: Christine Schenk, Jeannine Gramick, Elizabeth Johnson, Dorothy Day, Dorothy Stang, Simone Campbell, Helen Prejean, and the four women prophet group of Maura Clark, Jean Donovan, Ita Ford and Dorothy Kazel.
Please bring your prophetically-conscious self to this retreat, along with your Bible. Should you feel so inclined, come with the names of the women prophets you have personally encountered too!
This is a women’s retreat, presented by Mary Ellen O’Dea, OP. Check-in begins at 3pm and dinner is served at 6pm. The retreat will begin at 7pm.
Sr. Mary Ellen O’Dea is a Dominican Sister of Sinsinawa and life-long student of the scriptures. Her ministries have included teacher, principal, director of religious education, founder of family faith programs, coordinator of small faith communities in parishes and at universities, creator of feminist biblical interpretation studies, university campus chaplain, founder of The Magdala Project (a hands-on preaching empowerment process), spirituality coordinator, preacher and retreat facilitator. Sr. Mary Ellen holds Master’s Degrees in Religious Education, in Adult Christian Community Development, in University Ministry and in Biblical Spirituality.
