Women’s faces were seen, their individual voices heard and a diversity of gifts shared as members of the newly-formed women’s commission of the Diocese of Sacramento came together for their first meeting in mid-April.

Formed at the request of Bishop William K. Weigand, the 18 members of the women’s commission will serve three-year terms and meet six times each year at the Diocesan Pastoral Center. Their mission will be to counsel the bishop in addressing women’s issues and needs in the diocese.

Members of the Diocese of Sacramento’s women’s commission met in April for the first time at the Diocesan Pastoral Center with Bishop William K. Weigand and Auxiliary Bishop Richard J. Garcia (back row) and Mercy Sister Eileen Enright, chancellor (far left). Cathy Joyce/ Herald photo

“We hope this commission will focus on the concerns of women and the gifts of women and help me discern those issues we ought to continue to address,” Bishop Weigand said.

He added that the commission will impact life within parishes and in society in a progressive way.

“The commission will sense a recommendation made to me goes someplace or one from me to them will be taken to parishes,” he noted. “That the concerns, complaints and joys get articulated is my hope.”

In comments to the commission, Bishop Weigand explained that the formation of the group had weathered “a long gestation period” filled with “humble steps” dating back to 1986. At that time, the U.S. bishops began but never completed the process of writing a pastoral letter on women’s concerns in church and society.

Among the recommendations discussed at the time was the establishment of diocesan-based commissions on women. While the pastoral letter never became a reality, the National Conference of Catholic Bishops issued two subsequent documents: “Strengthening the Bonds of Peace: A Pastoral Reflection on Women in the Church and in Society,” in 1994 and “From Words to Deeds: Continuing Reflections on the Role of Women in the Church,” in 1998.

In June 1996, Bishop Weigand requested that the Council of Priests study further forms of leadership for women in the diocese. They in turn formed the Vicar for Religious Advisory Committee, which recommended the establishment of a diocesan commission for women, endorsed by the council in 1998.

Members of the women’s commission were nominated by pastors and and other leaders in the Catholic community to reflect the diversity, ethnicity and geography of the diocese.

Among the stated purposes of the commission are:

• To provide a vehicle for broad consultation on the needs, concerns, joys and challenges of women in the church and society. A specific area of concern mentioned by Bishop Weigand includes facilitating an awareness and response to domestic violence.

• To encourage more adequate recognition and affirmation of women’s gifts in the church.

• To encourage a better understanding and use of language, gestures and symbols that affirm rather than demean women.

• To encourage collaborative and mutually respectful relationships in ministry and community.

• To study the church’s understanding of ordination issues and alternatives for women in leadership in the church as well as the spirituality of the sacrament of marriage and the challenges of the single vocation.

Members of the newly-formed commission shared a wide range of views about what they would like to accomplish in the months ahead.

Octavia Simeon, an active member of the Sacramento Diocesan Council of Catholic Women and the Ladies Auxiliary of Peter Claver, sees the diversity of women serving on the commission worthy of emulation in parishes and Catholic organizations throughout the diocese.

“No matter what race we are in the Catholic Church, we love the church. We want to be leaders in the church, to be recognized as a voice in the church,” Simeon said. “Feeding off each other’s thoughts we can see how to best go about doing that in our parishes.”

Several members of the commission shared the sentiments expressed by Paul Chitwood, one of two men selected for the commission. Chitwood, a clinical psychologist, said that throughout history women have played an effective role in the life of the church, but have also been involved in pain and suffering caused by various forms of abuse.

“The power of women in the church is considerable and being seen in new ways,” Chitwood said. “It is important there is a sensitivity of the church to difficulties women have experienced, particularly with regard to some men.”

Members Teresa Martin and Mercy Sister Clare Marie Dalton expressed the hope that the women’s commission would focus on building insights regarding the gifts and talents women can bring to church.

“What I would like to see the commission do is address some of those things the church brings into our lives that are good,” Martin noted. “I don’t want to only talk about what we need but what we can give.”

Other members said they look forward to addressing a variety of issues impacting Catholic young people.

“I hope to see groups formed for young mothers and their children at the parish level that would enable mothers to share challenges, share their faith and encourage one another—something to keep us going in our faith,” Angie Jimenez noted.

Margaret Hinshaw, a leader in the Sacramento Diocesan Council of Catholic Women, sees the formation of the commission as an opportunity for dialogue to bring about more unity within parish communities.

“My dream would be to share ways to collaborate in more effective ways,” she said. “Women do have a gift for spreading peace.”

The women’s commission joins 18 members of The National Network of Women’s Commissions headquartered in Cleveland, Ohio. There are about 40 women’s commissions in dioceses nationwide.

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