Evangelization Methods

Women as Peacemakers?
                   The following article explores the female power in bringing about peace in the world:

        One of the interesting things of Church history is the difference in number between male and female martyrs. Men had a tendency to end up being killed for their Faith more so than women did. The only exception to this was when a whole civilization would fall away from the Faith, as happened with the Roman Empire (where both men and women were thrown to the lions) and the England of Henry VIII (women were hanged and quartered just as much as the men were).

           Yet in times of peace, it was difficult to see a woman being martyred. How is this phenomena explained? I believe it to be in the spiritual approach that women had towards others different from the methods used by men. The evangelization of Europe, for example, went rather tranquilly and was mostly realized through religious Orders. The Orders were "sister" Congregations (involving both men and women) and the work of preaching the Gospel was done by the two. The conversion of Germany, for example, was a joint project that took place through the presence of Benedictine priests and Benedictine nuns. The reform of the Church involved St. Francis and St. Clare in the 13th century, St. Catherine of Siena and Bl. Raymond of Capua in the 14th and St. John of the Cross and St. Teresa of Avila in the 16th. Franciscans, Dominicans, Carmelites and Augustinians have their female counterpart.

          The 17th century (and end of the 16th) was one of the bloodiest for the Catholic Church, and every culture and religion in the world leashed its hate against her religious members. The following list is a proof of this:

a)St. John Oglivie SJ (hanged by the Presbyterians of Scotland)

b) Forty Martyrs 

(Hanged and quartered at Tyburn England by the Anglican Church)

c) St. Fidelis of Sigmaringen Cap.

 (Hacked to death by Swiss Calvinists)

d) St. Andrew Bobola SJ (martyred by the Cossacks of Lithuania)

e) St. Josaphat Polotsk

(Lynched and killed by a mob instigated by enraged clerics of the Russian Orthodox Church who opposed unity with Rome)

f) St. John Sarkander

 (Martyred in Bohemia for not breaking the seal of confession)

g) Bl. Agathangelo OFM

(Martyred by the Coptic Church of Ethiopia)

h) St. John Britto SJ

(Martyred by jealous Brahmans who did not support the conversion of Hindus he realized)

i)Bl. Dionysius of Sumatra O. Carm.

(Martyred by Moslems opposed to his evangelization work in Indonesia)

j) Bl. Francis de Capillas OP

(Martyred by the Chinese)

k) St. Paul Miki SJ and companions

(crucified or thrown into a volcano in Japan)

l) St. Isaac Jogues

(Tomahawked by an Iroquois Indian)

m) Sts. Igantius Azevedo and Companions

(Jesuits  drowned by Calvinists)

n) Jesuits of Paraguay

 (killed by Portuguese captains for humane treatment of Indians)

          Many questions arise from this observation of fierce persecution against the Church on the part of native and religious groups around the globe:

1) Was it something that had to be, since Jesus always said that no student is above his master, and that what they did to Him was to be expected of the disciple?

2) Were the pastoral and missionary methods of the Church outdated, incorrect or lacking dialogue? Why was so much hate thrown against her?

3) Was it due to the absence of women in these missionary projects? Interesting enough, there was no "sister' congregation for the Jesuits (no female branch of the group). How would the women have evangelized the pagans and non-Catholic members of spiritual groups in that period?

        It is worthy to note that St. Vincent de Paul and St. Francis de Sales did not suffer the martyr's crown, yet they converted just as many (if not more) souls than the persecuted missionaries. Three outstanding virtues and qualities that shine out both in St. Vincent and St. Francis were humility, meekness and charity. St. Vincent converted thousands upon thousands of poor and rich people and St. Francis realized the conversion of 60,000 Calvinists. Both of them had a wonderful female friend that served as a great source of inspiration and emotional and spiritual strength. These women balanced and brought out the best in their characters, such that it attracted everyone to the love of Christ. St. Louise de Marillac and St. Frances de Chantal were instrumental in realizing a peaceful form of evangelization in the Church, working by the side of the French and Swiss Saints.

          St. Ignatius, in his rules for the Jesuits, asks them to reflect, during their retreats, on how they can always "do more for Christ". I do not question Ignation spirituality, it has done an immense amount of good in the world, but maybe the feminine vision of "being" more for Christ and the faithful could give better and more peaceful results in the work of evangelization than pure zealous action.

Father Anthony Mellace