Reimagining the Feminine Genius Through the Lives of Catholic Women

“The phrase ‘genius of women’ refers to a way of being, acting and loving in the world, which manifests a unique creativity in human relationships. Women’s acts of genius reveal a particular feminine sensitivity toward other human beings.”

— Sr. Prudence Allen, RSM

As women, each of us possesses a unique disposition to be attentive to the other. If we choose to accept this particular disposition, we can carry it into our work, our homes, and our relationships. This genius of womanhood does not bind us to one particular profession, vocation or lifestyle, but rather, it enriches the unique path God has for each of us. That means the number of ways this genius manifests is as numerous as the women who have ever lived and will ever live. We can see this diversity most clearly in the lives of saints, from St. Joan of Arc to St. Therese of Lisieux. In this interview series, we’ll be discussing the nature of the feminine genius, and how it can be seen lived out in light of particular vocations and professions, with four different Catholic women.

No Woman is Only Woman: Distilling the Feminine Genius from Stereotypes

Interview with Sr. Theresa Aletheia, fsp

“I have gained insight from reading Edith Stein’s Essays on Women. She has a balanced view both of the unique role of women and the equality of women that appeals to me. For instance, in support of the need for women in many societal roles, she writes, ‘Only subjective delusion could deny that women are capable of practicing vocations other than that of spouse and mother.’ And later she writes, ‘No woman is only woman.’I think her points are important to remember in conversations about what it means to be a woman in today’s world.”

The Feminine Genius, Beyond Pink and Frills

Interview with Janet Easter

“Femininity is not an affinity for pink, puppies, or frills and the like. Authentic femininity is quite something to behold. It pierces through a world that is thick in efficiency, that has forgotten the dignity possessed by every person.”

Recognizing the Feminine Genius as a Woman in the Army

Interview with Nykole Willmore

“I strive to live out my feminine genius in the ways that I care for my fellow soldiers.”

Femininity is a Way of Being, Not a Mold to Fit into

Interview with Shannon Ochoa

“…You are just as feminine chopping wood as you are cooking, just as feminine wearing basketball shorts or a blouse, just as feminine in your pottery class as you are in your kickboxing lessons. Your femininity cannot be reduced to what you wear, what job you have, what activities you’re a part of. Your femininity comes from being made woman, in the image and likeness of God.”

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