“Women of the Story”
Refrain:
Women of the story, women of the song
Wisdom of the ages deep within our earth.
Women of the story, women of the song
Sing your song of hope and bring it into birth
Verses:
Called to be prophet now, women of the song
Called to be vision now, bring it into birth
Called to be mover now, women of the song
Called to be shaper now, bring it into birth
Be of courage now, women of the song
Laura and David Ash
Sing of hope now, bring it into birth
Heal our earth now, women of the song,
Walk in justice now bring it into birth
© 2009 on the CD, "Dawning of a New Story: Radical Hope." Used with permission of Intercommunity Justice and Peace
Center, Seattle, WA 98115. www.ipjc.org

Franciscan Spirituality: Beyond Francis and Clare
Dear Sisters and Companions,
Welcome to our year-end retreat for 2012. On this DVD, Sr. Patricia Novak,
OSF, Spirituality and Healing Arts Director at St Joseph Family Center, Spokane,
Washington, introduces Dr. Darleen Pryds, a woman well versed in Third Order
Franciscan Women.
Dr. Pryds is a professor of history and spirituality at the Franciscan School of
Theology in Berkley, California. Perhaps you have had the opportunity to read her book, Women of the Streets: Early Franciscan Women and Their Mendicant
Vocation.
In it Darleen tells stories of four women: Rose of Viterbo, Angela of
Foligno, Margaret of Cortona, and Sancia of Naples.
Through this retreat, Darleen encourages us to look beyond Francis and Clare for stories, images, and possibly a model for living the Franciscan charism as Third
Order women. She proposes that how we read and tell stories of early women, particularly Lady Jacoba dei Settesoli, could have an impact on us today.
Although Darleen discusses all four women in the original DVD, the committee edited the DVD and chose to highlight Margaret of Cortona for our retreat. We encourage you, however, to study the lives of the other women as well.
As you move through the retreat, we invite you to reflect upon two questions:
W hat was the truth of Margaret’s life? How are we impacted by her today ? Dr.
Pryds would welcome your reaction and questions; she encourages you to continue the dialogue with her using her email address dpryds@fst.edu
, or on her
Facebook page: Darleen Pryds, Ph.D.
Following Darlene’s presentation and after some private reflection and sharing,
Sr. Helen Budzik, OSF, brings our reflections to a more contemporary Third
Order Franciscan woman, Mother Mary Francis Bachmann. What was the truth of Mother Francis’ life? How does she impact us today?
In June, 2013, we will celebrate the 150 th
anniversary of Mother Francis Bachmann’s death. How does she live on in our hearts and memories?
Reproduced with permission under license #601392.
LicenSingOnline

IV. Closing Ritual
A. View DVD with Collage of Sisters
B.
Reflection and Group Sharing Questions :
1. What did seeing the faces of our sisters mean to you?
2.
What effect has this retreat had on you?
3.
What can you do to remember and tell the stories of Third Order women religious?
At faith-sharing time, light a candle for all of us. Take one rose from the bouquet and place next to the candle. Then faith share on the lives of our sisters.
Closing Prayer:
Good and Gracious God, we thank you for these third order Franciscan women on whose shoulders we stand. We are stronger for their courage, we are honored by their passion, we are grateful for their vision, for their toiling on this earth—for they did what was theirs to do.
Grace us with courage and passion and vision in our time to live out the Third
Order values: poverty, humility, conversion, and contemplation. Be with us as we do what is ours to do. May we call upon Lady Jacoba, Margaret of Cortona,
Mother Francis Bachmann, and all those sisters who have touched our lives as we recommit ourselves to rebuilding the Church, to taking the necessary risks to be a healing, compassionate presence in our violent world and as we reflect this commitment in our dialogue with the entire Church, our own governing structures and our relationship with one another. Amen.
We pray this retreat experience will encourage each of us to tell stories of Third
Order Franciscan women and to take note of what we tell and what we don’t tell.
And then we ask ourselves: “As Third Order Franciscan women in the 21 st century, what stories will be told of us? What will be our legacy?”
May God be with us as we again meet women who lived as Third Order
Franciscans. Let us explore the truth of their lives and live into the truth of our own lives.
The Franciscan Theology and Spirituality Committee
Rose Holter
We recommend the following:
Retreat Experience
Setting: Include pictures, if available, of Third Order Women and Mother
Francis Bachmann;5 candles—one each for Christ, Lady Jacoba, Margaret of
Cortona, Mother Francis, and us; a bouquet of roses.
Song: “Women of the Church” by Carey Landry
“Women of the Story” by Laura and David Ash

Opening of the Retreat :
Light the Christ candle.
Sing or play the song in its entirety at the beginning of this retreat.
I.
View DVD: Introduction by Sr. Patricia Novak, OSF, and
Part One, “Taking a New Look at Familiar Images,” by Darleen
Pryds, Ph.D.
Sing the refrain of the song followed by private reflection.
Reflection Questions :
1.
When you first look at these familiar images, how do you feel about them?
What stories do you start telling yourself about the figures depicted? How
do you relate to them?
2.
Does Darleen’s thesis—that the woman in the painting is not Clare as we always thought but rather Lady Jacoba—affect you in any way? How?
3.
Does something shift in you as you learn the identity of this person? Do you think of Franciscan tradition differently now? What difference does it make to you?
4.
Can you identify the core TOR values of poverty, humility, conversion, and contemplation in Lady Jacoba?
As you gather for faith sharing, light a candle for Lady Jacoba, take a rose from the bouquet, and place it in front or beside the candle. Share on the questions and/or observations on Lady Jacoba and the TOR values.
II. View DVD on Margaret of Cortona: Darleen’s Part Two: “The
Stories We Tell (and Those We Don’t Tell)”
Sing the refrain of the song followed by private reflection.
Reflection Questions :
1.
Who deeply influenced your faith as a child or young person?
2.
Did you know the story of Margaret of Cortona or was it new to you?
With what did you identify as you heard Margaret’s story or as you read stories of other Third Order women in Darleen’s book?
3.
Which TOR core value would you associate with them? In what way is her story relevant to you today?
Gather for faith sharing and light a candle for Margaret of Cortona. Take a rose from the bouquet and place it in front or beside the candle. Share on questions and/or observations on Margaret of Cortona and the TOR values.
III. View DVD: Mother Francis Bachmann with Sister Helen
Sing the refrain of the song followed by private reflection.
Reflection Questions :
1.
What “snapshots” in the life of Mother Francis Bachmann resonate with you? Why?
2.
How did Mother Francis exemplify the core TOR values: poverty, humility, contemplation and conversion? Which value was most prominent in her life?
3.
How do you experience these values in your life?
Gather for faith sharing. Light a candle for Mother Francis and place a rose from the bouquet by the candle. Share on questions and/or observations on
Mother Francis Bachmann and the TOR values.