Certain Women
The Rochester Democrat & Chronicle has a nice tribute to some missionary women who were murdered 25 years ago. I love stories like this because it shows that we can't forget the sacrifices, and we must keep remembering. Here are a few passages...
"As we do this," says Gloria Ulterino, "it's a way of giving meaning — not only to the lives of the women whose stories we tell — but to our own lives."
Ulterino, a Catholic author and storyteller, was referring to the lives of Ita Ford, Jean Donovan, Maura Clarke and Dorothy Kazel — the four American church women who were murdered in El Salvador 25 years ago.
Two years ago, Ulterino and a colleague, Marilyn Catherine, wrote a storytelling prayer service in memory of the women. Its title, "Certain Women," is a reference to the "certain women" mentioned in the Gospel of Luke, women who followed Jesus from Galilee, who were present at the Last Supper, the Crucifixion and the empty tomb.
"It seemed very appropriate to refer to these women by that term," Ulterino says. "They heard the call and they followed."