There was a discussion on Facebook, recently, about the women at the forefront of the Women's Movement in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. There were other women, in earlier years, who had a greater impact on the lives of those disenfranchised women at the lower end of society.
The FCJ's, following the example of their Foundress, were among those unsung heroines.
Marie Madeleine was a pioneer in the education of girls. Her belief was that if you educated girls, you educated society. For this reason, the first FCJ schools were boarding schools, which, she hoped, would provide new novices who would go on to teach in the free schools set up for the children of the poor.
The first school, in Amiens, is now a hostel for the homeless.
Today, the FCJ's mission has evolved. One does not have to enter as a novice to share in their work.
Perhaps now as never before we, who call ourselves Faithful Companions of Jesus, are asked to live cultural diversity as an enrichment of our companionship, based on gospel values. We are faced daily with vast movements of people migrating across the globe, many seeking economic opportunities, others fleeing from war and oppression. We are invited to welcome the stranger both in our own communities and in our ministries as we work with people whose culture, race and faith are different from ours.
My archives contain much more material on this topic. If you have any questions, please leave a comment here and I will try to provide an answer.
My archives contain much more material on this topic. If you have any questions, please leave a comment here and I will try to provide an answer.
