Nearly 250 women, young and old, gathered for a day of spiritual renewal, fellowship at Sacred Heart Major Seminary
DETROIT — Nearly 250 women of all ages, from as far south as Toledo and as far north as Flint, gathered at Sacred Heart Major Seminary on Aug. 10 for the annual Archdiocese of Detroit Black Catholic Women’s Conference.
The daylong conference, "Pilgrims of Hope: Our Journey in Christ,” was organized by Vickie Figueroa, archdiocesan director of cultural ministries and coordinator of Black Catholic ministry, who served as master of ceremonies.
The joy-filled morning began with praise and worship, followed by a keynote address given by Dr. Valerie D. Lewis-Mosley, Mass with Fr. John McKenzie, a priest in solidum at Christ the King Parish and School in northwest Detroit, and afternoon workshop sessions and youth breakouts.
“The Black Catholic Women's Conference seeks to provide an opportunity for women of all faiths to come together and support one another through workshops, worship and prayer experiences that use the gifts and lessons of the African-American experience,” Figueroa explained before introducing the keynote speaker.
Lewis-Mosley, from the Archdiocese of Newark, is a renowned healer, scholar, pastoral theologian, author and social justice advocate. In her keynote, she addressed the many barriers women face on their pilgrimage to eternal life, using her own life as an example.
“I want to start off just by saying God is so good because I didn’t have to be here this morning,” Lewis-Mosley said, explaining that three weeks ago, she got COVID-19 for the first time, which, due to a life-threatening chronic illness, made her all the more vulnerable to the virus.
Lewis-Mosley said while she fared well with the regular symptoms, the virus attacked her knee and her kidney to the point where she could not walk.
After waking up at 3 a.m. in writhing pain, Lewis-Mosley turned to God in prayer: “‘If I am going to talk to these women about a healing mind, body and spirit, you are either going to give me another good foot, or you’re going to make a way, Lord God, for me to go and be the witness of healing mind, body and spirit,’” Lewis-Mosley recalled praying.
“God is a healing God — God is a mighty, wonderful God. God is a very good and gracious God, and I'm here this morning because I stand in the favor of the Lord God who is faithful and who will remove a barrier if we but believe that the only blood that has power is the blood of the Lamb,” Lewis-Mosley proclaimed from the podium. “And so, my sisters, I am here this morning with no pain — still able to walk, breathing.”
Dr. Lewis-Mosley said it is through the word of God that men and women receive what they need to sustain throughout their lives. As a person encounters barriers, one must know Him in order to preach the word of Jesus Christ and live for him.
“Our faith comes from hearing the word of God and understanding the word of God,” Lewis-Mosley said. “In order to meet those barriers that we’re talking about in today’s journey as a pilgrim, you need some fortitude. You need some strength, and your strength comes from the Holy Spirit.”
Some barriers are challenges with health and body, Lewis-Mosley said, while motioning to her cane. However, like Job, a person must know how to go to God in faith, trusting that He will heal and remove barriers.
While the fruits might not be immediately apparent, “delay does not mean deny,” Lewis-Mosley explained.
“God had already sent the message of healing. God had already sent the anointing, so you keep on praising, you keep on singing, even if you only got one good foot — you keep on dancing, trusting in the Lord because the barrier is moved by faith,” Lewis-Mosley said. “Jesus told us if you have faith like a mustard seed, you can move a mountain or a barrier, even (heal) a broken down leg; you can heal a sick heart. You just have to have faith.”
Spiritual healing is needed as well, Lewis-Mosley said, which requires putting down the barrier or burden and let God do the work.
“God will move a barrier and bring a blessing if we humble ourselves before the Lord and say, ‘God, you fix it,’” Lewis-Mosley said. “If we stop trying to be superwomen … God will do the work."
Lewis-Mosley challenged the women gathered to use the consecration of the Body and Blood of Christ during Mass as an opportunity to lay down their problems and hand them over to God.
“During the Eucharist, when the Body and Blood are being offered up at the table of the Lord, how many of you say, ‘This is an opportunity to let whatever my problems are go right on that altar and leave it there’?” Lewis-Mosley asked. “How many of you pick it back up and take it out of the church so you can worry about it Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday, Saturday and all the way through Sunday, praying for the same thing, thinking that the Lord did not hear you?
"The Lord heard your prayer; you just didn’t listen," she continued. "You put it back down, and then you picked it back up. How can the Lord carry your barrier, carry your burden, if you won’t put it down? You leave that barrier on the altar, and you walk away from it.”
By putting the burden down and trusting in the Blood of the Lamb, a person is able to live out their faith, Lewis-Mosley said, encouraging the women to live their faith pilgrimage together in “collaboration and cooperation.”
Lewis-Mosley pointed to the African spirituality of Ubuntu as an example.
"Ubuntu means running the race together,” Lewis-Mosley said. “The African mysticism and spirituality says if you want to get somewhere fast, then go ahead and run by yourself. Well, I’m not trying to run fast these days, I’m just trying to get to the end of the finish line, but the journey for pilgrims is to run the race together.
"You may not get there fast, but you’re going to all get there together, because if I’m hopping on one leg you're going to carry me,” she added.
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