Catholic Women Preach

Preaching for the Solemnity of Mary, Mother of God - World Day of Peace - Martha Inés Romero Medina offers a reflection on moving beyond desiring peace and living peace as a way of life: "It is not enough to call for peace; we must embody it in a way of life that rejects every form of violence, whether it be visible or systemic."Martha Inés Romero Medina serves as Secretary General for Pax Christi International, a Catholic global peace movement. She is a Colombian peace practitioner, with a MA in Development Project Management, studies in Peace and Conflict Transformation at Kroc Institute, Notre Dame University in the United States; and a Diploma in International Development Cooperation, Peace Institute, Oviedo University, Spain.Visit www.catholicwomenpreach.org/preaching/01012026 to learn more about Martha Inés, to read her preaching text, and for more preaching from Catholic women.

Preaching for Christmas, Cecilia González-Andrieu offers a reflection on what it means to have Christian faith: "God is with us. God is with us always, and God dwells with us most perfectly in the ones who need us. Where are our mangers? Let us search for them because that is where Creation joins our song. To go to them, protect them, accompany them is to give our Christian faith meaning and to make our God present."Cecilia González-Andrieu is professor of Theology and Theological Aesthetics at Loyola Marymount University. Her work explores systematic theology, theological aesthetics, and political theology from the particularity of the Latinx experience. A scholar-activist Dr. González-Andrieu speaks and marches with those who thirst for the liberative power of theological thought in a number of interlaced areas of inquiry. At LMU, Cecilia helps lead the university’s work with undocumented students. Visit www.catholicwomenpreach.org/preaching/12252025 to learn more about Cecilia to read her pr

Joanna Arellano-Gonzalez preaches for the Fourth Sunday of Advent, offering a reflection on dreaming a new way into being: "Heed your dreams, like Joseph did. Be a prophetic dreamer. Trust the vision God plants in you, and dare to act on it, with courage, tenderness, and fire."Joanna Arellano-Gonzalez is a proud first-generation Mexican-American, originally from La Villita on Chicago’s South Side. She is a co-founder and currently serves as the Director of Training and Formation at the Coalition for Spiritual and Public Leadership (CSPL), a Catholic and Christian-rooted community organizing coalition that integrates liberation theology, spirituality, and grassroots organizing to advance community transformation.Visit www.catholicwomenpreach.org/preaching/12212025 to learn more about Joanna, to read her preaching text, and for more preaching from Catholic women.

Preaching for the Third Sunday of Advent, Carmen M. Nanko-Fernández offers a reflection on experiencing and embracing the in-breaking of God's mañana: "On that day, many years ago, in the company of thousands united by a desire for housing justice, en solidaridad with many made poor, vulnerable and homeless, the presence of God’s reign broke-in. Barriers to communication fell, obstacles to relationships collapsed. In a moment of convivencia, I witnessed una promesa of God’s mañana."A self-described Hurban@́ (Hispanic and urban) theologian, Carmen is Professor of Hispanic Theology and Ministry, and the director of the Hispanic Theology and Ministry Program at Catholic Theological Union in Chicago, USA. Her publications include the book "Theologizing en Espanglish" (Orbis), as well as numerous chapters, scholarly, and pastoral articles on Latin@́ theologies, theological education, Catholic Social Teaching, im/migration, Pope Francis, sport and theology—with particular focus on béisbol/ba

Preaching for the Feast of Our Lady of Guadalupe, Dr. Nichole M. Flores offers a poem reflecting on the presence and power of Our Lady: "She is everywhere. Speaking, guiding, prompting, praying. Advocating, organizing, redefining, reconciling. Calling, responding, giving, receiving. Bleeding, healing, crying, rising. She is everywhere."* Adapted from Nichole M. Flores, The Aesthetics of Solidarity: Our Lady of Guadalupe and American Democracy (Georgetown University Press 2021) Dr. Nichole M. Flores is associate professor of religious studies and director of the Catholic studies initiative at the University of Virginia. She speaks, writes and teaches about the significance of Catholic ethics in plural social, political, and ecclesial contexts. Her first book, "The Aesthetics of Solidarity: Our Lady of Guadalupe and American Democracy" is available from Georgetown University Press.

Preaching for the Immaculate Conception of Mary, Yolanda Chávez offers a reflection on Mary's 'yes' and the migrant woman's courage: "Mary’s 'yes' did not end in Nazareth. It continues in every woman who dares to hope, in every man who learns to see with mercy, in every community that makes room for love."Yolanda Chavez, M.Div., is a member of the Ecumenical Association of Theologians of the Third World (ASETT) and a certified Catechist Master Teacher. She holds a Master of Divinity degree from Fuller Theological Seminary in Pasadena, California, where she is currently a candidate for a doctorate in ministry focused on Women's Spirituality. Visit www.catholicwomenpreach.org/preaching/12082025 to learn more about Yolanda, to read her preaching text, and for more preaching from Catholic women.

Preaching for the Second Sunday of Advent, Carmen Ramos invites us to reclaim our common divine ancestry by nurturing new blossoms of justice, kinship, and courageous hope:"Even as we lament, we organize hope. This is our Divine Ancestry, given to us by Jesus, blooming anew. When we reclaim our divine lineage, people from longstanding opposing views gather together as the wolf and lamb; the leopard and the sheep; the calf and the lion…working together for justice, creating hope, creating kinship."Carmen Ramos is a first-generation Mexican-American raised in central California. She is an educator, spiritual director, retreat master, and formator. Currently, she serves Latinx parishes as Director of Renovación (Parish Renewal Initiative) at Marian University in Indianapolis. Visit www.catholicwomenpreach.org/preaching/12072025 to learn more about Carmen, for her preaching in Spanish, and for more preaching from Catholic women.

Preaching for the First Sunday of Advent, Dr. Angélica N. Quiñónez invites us to reframe Advent as a wake up call to awareness, compassion, and courageous action in the face of injustice: "Advent is not about waiting for God to act. Advent is about waking up to where God is already at work and joining God in that work. Staying awake means being prepared to say yes. Yes to justice. Yes to accompaniment. Yes to human dignity. Yes to policies rooted in compassion. Yes to the long and challenging work of peace. And it means standing where Christ stands."Dr. Angélica N. Quińónez is an educator and serves as the Director of University Ministry at the University of San Francisco. She is agraduate of the University of Southern California where she earned her Doctor of Education degree in Organizational Change and Leadership. She is a double USF Master’s graduate in Theology and Teaching with an emphasis in Catholic schools, and earned her Bachelor of Arts in English from Santa Clara University. Visit www.ca

Preaching for the Solemnity of Christ the King, Krisanne Vaillancourt Murphy offers a reflection on the character of God's Reign we are called to co-create: "In this final hour on Calvary, we see a radically different kind of kingship than the world elevates. God’s reign is not self-serving, or seeking retribution. Nor does it portend a death-dealing system intent on punishment. No. Instead, Jesus offers a paradise of mercy that extends even to those whom we may not think deserve it."Krisanne Vaillancourt Murphy serves as the executive director of Catholic Mobilizing Network (CMN), the national organization working to end the death penalty, advance justice, and begin healing through the practices of restorative justice. She has a Masters in Theology degree from Boston College (formerly Weston Jesuit School of Theology in Cambridge, Massachusetts).Visit www.catholicwomenpreach.org/preaching/11232025 to learn more about Krisanne and CMN, to read her preaching text, and for more preaching from Cath

Preaching for the 33rd Sunday in Ordinary Time, Sr. Judi Clemens reflects on how "“the sun of justice with its healing rays” shone through the life of Sr. Dorothy Stang and the people of Brazil's ecclesial base communities: "God was Dorothy’s friend and companion to the land and the landless too. Dorothy witnessed to the belief that all creation is interconnected and innately good…every human person, the rainforest and all the universe is destined for goodness."Sister Judi Clemens SNDdeN began her ministry as an educator in Ohio before spending 22 years serving the Church in Northeastern Brazil, where she helped form and animate Ecclesial Base Communities and lived in community with Sr. Dorothy Stang. After returning to the United States, she ministered among Brazilian immigrants in Boston and Miami and later served in leadership and justice roles with her community in Cincinnati. Today, Sister Judi lives at Mount Notre Dame, where she continues to share the legacy of Sister Dorothy Stang a

Preaching for the Feast of the Dedication of the Lateran Basilica, Joanna Williams offers a reflection on recognizing and building upon the Divine goodness within ourselves, others, and our communities: "At the core of our being, we are loved and made holy, created in God’s image and likeness. Our most natural orientation is towards goodness, a goodness that produces abundant fruit..."Joanna Williams is the Executive Director at the Kino Border Initiative (KBI), a binational Catholic ministry in Nogales, Arizona and Sonora that works towards a vision of migration with dignity. Joanna graduated with a Bachelor's in Science from the School of Foreign Service at Georgetown University, where she researched the role of the Latino Church in creating social change. She was also confirmed into the Catholic Church her senior year at Georgetown. In 2019 she received a Master's in Public Policy from Arizona State University.Visit www.catholicwomenpreach.org/preaching/11092025 to learn more about Joanna

Preaching for the Commemoration of All the Faithful Departed (All Souls), Marie Philomène Péan, D.Min. invites us to trust that in God we are held, we are loved, and we are home: "As a nurse, a chaplain, and a pastoral associate, I have sat beside people as they took their final breath. I have held hands, whispered prayers, and witnessed something sacred: death is not the end. It is a passage. And Jesus walks with us through it."Marie Philomène Péan, D.Min., is a seasoned pastoral leader, spiritual director, and community builder whose ministry spans continents and cultures. Originally from Haiti, she brings a multilingual and multicultural lens to her work, speaking Haitian Creole, French, English, and conversational Spanish. Philomène holds a Doctorate in Ministry from Andover Newton Theological School and is a Board-Certified Chaplain with the National Association of Catholic Chaplains.Visit www.catholicwomenpreach.org/preaching/11022025 to learn more about Philomène, to read her preaching text,

Preaching for the Solemnity of All Saints, Elvira Ramirez offers a reflection on living our call to holiness through our own gifts and circumstances: "Today, let us reflect on the particular gifts we have received and on the circumstances of our daily lives that invite us to mercy, love, justice, peace, and to holiness."Elvira Ramirez is executive director of Maryknoll Lay Missioners. She previously served as the executive director of Catholic Charities in the Diocese of Stockton, California for 15 years. And from 1982 until 1993 she served as a Maryknoll sister, primarily working with youth and young adults in Tanzania.Visit www.catholicwomenpreach.org/preaching/11012025 to learn more about Elvira, to read her preaching text, and for more preaching from Catholic women.

Graceann F. Beckett preaches for the Thirtieth Sunday in Ordinary Time, inviting us to consider how humility, honesty, and trust in God’s love open the way to true justification:"God desires relationship, to be able to draw near, and this desire is certainly not dependent upon a grand presentation of one's most pious actions or traits."Graceann Beckett is a M.T.S. student at Boston College Clough School of Theology and Ministry (CSTM), where she is also an editor for "Lumen et Vita," the student academic journal at the CSTM. Her academic interests include ecclesiology, Appalachian studies, and ethnography. In addition, her work with the Dorothy Day Guild and the Catholic Worker Movement has shaped her life, faith, and academic pursuits significantly.Visit www.catholicwomenpreach.org/preaching/10262025 to learn more about Graceann, to read her preaching text, and for more preaching from Catholic women.

Preaching for the Twenty-ninth Sunday in Ordinary Time, Sister Jessica Kerber offers a reflection on living resistant hope: "Hope indeed is something to live into, sometimes requiring persistence and that resistant hope. For as Scripture promises us: hope does not disappoint."Sister Jessica Kerber is a Handmaid of the Sacred Heart of Jesus, currently serving as both formator and United States Provincial. At Saint Louis University’s Center for Ignatian Service, she teaches courses that integrate faith and service. A graduate of Valparaiso University in elementary education, she later completed philosophy and theology studies at Comillas Pontifical University in Madrid.Visit www.catholicwomenpreach.org/preaching/10192025 to learn more about Sr. Jessica, to read her preaching text, and for more preaching from Catholic women.

Preaching for the Twenty-eighth Sunday in Ordinary Time, Lynn Cooper offers a reflection on cultivating a spirit of gratitude and belonging: "I invite you to live into the spiritual gift of the grateful Samaritan—how might we embrace the internal transformation that comes from the spiritual practice of cultivating gratefulness, and how might we foster a culture of belonging..."Lynn Cooper is the Associate Director of the University Chaplaincy and Catholic Chaplain at Tufts University. She holds a Doctor of Ministry from Boston University School of Theology. Lynn's first book, "Embracing Our Time: The Sacrament of Interfaith Friendship," came out in May 2025 from Fortress Press. Visit www.catholicwomenpreach.org/preaching/10122025 to learn more about Lynn, to read her preaching text, and for more preaching from Catholic women.

Julia D'Agostino preaches for the Twenty-seventh Sunday in Ordinary Time, inviting us to encounter one another with compassion and reminding us that even the smallest faith can reveal God’s Reign breaking into our world: "I pray that we all may turn to our neighbor, encounter them, allow our hearts to break, and let the mercy of God work through us. Have faith, even if it be the size of a mustard seed. Because God’s Kingdom will come on Earth as it is in Heaven."Julia D’Agostino (she/her) is a theologian drawn to Ignatian spirituality, the stories of women in the church, and the mystery of thin places. After earning a B.A. in English from the College of the Holy Cross, she followed “the God of surprises” into graduate studies at the Boston College Clough School of Theology & Ministry, where she completed both a Master of Divinity and a Master of Theology.Visit www.catholicwomenpreach.org/preaching/10052025 to learn more about Julia, to read her preaching text, and for more preaching from Cat

Alison Stone preaches for the Twenty-sixth Sunday in Ordinary Time, reminding us that everything is connected and there is room at God’s table for all: "We are not powerless here. We are connected. Furthermore, we are capable of creating a more just and compassionate world — one choice, one table, one shared meal at a time."Alison Stone is the Animator of Mission and Identity for Franciscan Schools Australia (FSA) and is a member of the FSA National Executive Team. She works across Australia assisting over 75 schools to live the Franciscan charism at the grassroots.

Preaching for the Twenty-fifth Sunday in Ordinary Time, Julia Louise Morrow reflects on the struggles and questions that come with remaining in the Church while still daring to hope for its transformation: "I remain because Catholicism, at its best, is a call to solidarity, to mystery, to justice, and to hope. And I remain because I believe that transformation is possible—not only in the confines of my own heart, but in the Church I still dare to hope for, the Church that I work towards every day."Julia Morrow is a writer and academic based in San Diego, California. She holds a B.A. in philosophy and theology from Wheaton College and is completing dual master’s degrees in theology at the Franciscan School of Theology and in library and information science at San José State University. She researches how art enriches spiritual practice, particularly in its ability to illuminate theological truths for modern audiences. Visit www.catholicwomenpreach.org/preaching/09212025 to learn more about Julia, to

Preaching for the Feast of the Exaltation of the Cross, Sara Ann Conneely invites us to look beyond suffering and punishment to see God’s love revealed in Christ, who transforms pain into hope and new life: "If we focus on the punishment, on the pain, on the poison, we might miss the miracle that is happening. When we read these two stories together, we become more aware of the sacrifice made by God to bring us into God’s vision for salvation."Sara Ann Conneely is a passionate minister, educator, and spiritual guide dedicated to facilitating and supporting community building. After ten years in education, Sara recently became the Associate Director of The Well Spirituality Center outside of Chicago, Illinois. Visit www.catholicwomenpreach.org/preaching/09142025 to learn more about Sara, to read her preaching text, and for more preaching from Catholic women.