MADISON — Blessed Sacrament Parish will host evening prayer and a lecture to commemorate the Feast of St. Catherine of Siena on Sunday, May 4, at 7 p.m.
The lecture, “The Joy of the Gospel and the Baptismal Vocation: The Witness of Catherine of Siena,” will be presented by Sr. Mary Catherine Hilkert, O.P., professor of theology at the University of Notre Dame.
In the first year of his papacy, Pope Francis summoned all members of the Church to embrace the Church’s mission of spreading the “joy of the Gospel.” His invitation includes a call for “broader opportunities for a more incisive female presence in the Church” and greater involvement by younger members of the Church in evangelization.Drawing on the life, preaching, and writings of St. Catherine of Siena, Sister Mary Catherine will offer insight into the baptismal vocation of all Christians and the diverse gifts that the Holy Spirit bestows on women and men of all ages.
Sister Mary Catherine has taught at Notre Dame since 1995. She is the author of Speaking with Authority: Catherine of Siena and the Voices of Women Today, Naming Grace: Preaching and the Sacramental Imagination, and articles on theology, preaching, and spirituality.
She has lectured, preached, and presented workshops on theology and preaching in Europe, Australia, South Africa, the U.S., and Canada. She is a member of the Dominican Sisters of Peace.