Monday Feb 26th

A GOOD READ

I am very much enjoying Genevieve Kineke's The Authentic Catholic Woman (Servant books, just published). It is a realistic, well-informed and thoughtful book which looks at modern life and the modern Church and sees the tasks facing Catholic women. It's rooted in the Church's teachings, has a sense of joy about it, and doesn't carry any pious woffle or unattainable goals.

It has often seemed to me that feminist campaigners over the past thirty years have raised some useful questions but failed to listen to the answers. The Church - and this book brings it out beautifully - is a mother who cherishes her daughters and wants to see their talents devel;oped and used widely. Pope John Paul's "Theology of the Body", a rich understanding of the Church as Christ's Bride, and a sense of confidence and identity, are all important ingredients in recognising the vocation of being a Catholic woman today. Calls for women to be ordained priestesses are calls from people who are getting the whole picture wrong.

I particularly like the chapter on sanctifying time, on seeing the importance of feasts and seasons, family events and anniversaries. I have always noticed that it is women who are the keepers of a family's heritage - and I don't just mean mothers here either - and recognise the value of passed-on memories, traditions, snippets of family history. This doesn't mean endlessly harking back to the past or attempting to fossilise traditions or keep up childish things....it involves celebrating each passing year, noting it, remembering things as part of something alive and valuable.

I really recommend this book.