ENDOW: Empowering women's faith

Not one, but four groups of women came together to study and reflect on the teachings of St. Teresa of Avila and how they apply in their lives.  

​They arrived with beaming smiles that lit up every corner of the parish basement, eager to learn. These women are part of ENDOW (Educating on the Nature and Dignity of a Woman) at St. Albert the Great parish. 

Endow was founded in 2003 in Denver, Colorado, by Betsy Considine, Marilyn Coors, and Terry Polakovic. It is a Catholic apostolate that calls women together to deepen their faith by exploring the timeless wisdom of the Church. Drawing from the writings of Pope St. John Paul II on the “new feminism,” the founders emphasized that every woman should recognize her God-given dignity and the unique gifts she brings to the world. Today, Endow reaches more than 40,000 women in over 130 dioceses worldwide through study and community.

As a first-time participant, I was welcomed with genuine warmth and the gift of friendship. Their greetings immediately put me at ease. 
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Seeing the book of St. Teresa of Avila on each table brought back memories of my own past studies on the saints. The thought of diving deeper into her life filled me with excitement and enthusiasm.

The gathering started with a prayer and was followed by a reminder of the things to accomplish that night.

Participants greeted each other warmly before sitting at their assigned tables. The atmosphere was alive with openness and readiness to share their spiritual journey. 

Each woman took turns reading two to three sentences from the chapter, followed by reflection questions. At first, the conversation was serious and thoughtful, but as it went on, laughter and light-hearted moments filled the room. 

It was an ordinary conversation, yet every word shared a firm conviction: to trust Jesus with all their hearts. 

Sitting among them was spiritually enriching; it was a fruitful opportunity to learn alongside faith-filled, insightful women about how to deepen one’s faith in God.

One conversation about obedience became especially meaningful. We discussed how obeying God makes difficult things easier, and that His grace is always present when we follow His will.

The moderator said, “If I persevere, good fruit will come because God is good.”

“He wants the best for me because He loves me. I trust Him,” shared Kaitlin, a participant at my table.

The members shared their different perspectives on obedience, but ultimately agreed it meant listening to God’s voice and saying ‘yes’ to Him. It requires letting go of the world’s pull toward pleasure, fame, and wealth, and becoming a follower of Christ. Though difficult at times, the gift of perseverance and God’s grace make it possible.

When reading  one of St. Teresa of Avila’s letters about facing temptations and attacks from Satan, the  women spoke openly about their thoughts. 

“It’s terrifying when you really think about it,” said Kaitlin.

“I don’t want to think about it. I just pretend it’s not there. I need to focus on the beauty of God, which is what you’re meant to do,” shared another.

We reflected that God’s power is far greater than the enemy’s. They discussed the importance of prayer, penance, and suffering as weapons against evil, and the need to discern when something feels spiritually “off”. 

The group provided a safe space to share insights, explore their beliefs, ask questions, and affirm one another’s spiritual journey. 

“It’s given me a little bit of a boost to be able to talk to other people, especially about prayer, because it’s an overwhelming thing sometimes to go through alone,” shared Kaitlin.

“Thanks to this talk, especially to other women and mothers who are going through similar struggles in their lives.”

Participant Liza Zavisha added, “Anytime we can grow in our faith, because it’s one step closer to God.”

“We want to keep learning and growing, and doing it with other like-minded women is such a gift.”

By the end of the night, I felt spiritually refreshed and renewed. I left with joy, encouragement, and a richer understanding of God’s work in my life.

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Written by Mary Joy Mendonza for Faithfully. Photos courtesy of Mary Joy.