LITANY
God, Creator of Women-----------------------------------------Lord, have mercy.
Jesus, Friend of Women----------------------------------------Lord, have mercy.
Holy Spirit, Lover of Women----------------------------------Lord, have mercy.

For the times men have behaved like Adam and blamed you for out mistakes

forgive us.

For the times we have behaved like Pharaohs and kept you in slavery by racism or sexism

forgive us.

For the times you have been forced to fight for your lives like Esther and at your own peril

forgive us.

For the times we have harassed you and forced you, like Judith, to put an end to the abuse

forgive us.

For the times we have trapped and molested you like Susanna and forced you to choose death rather than dishonor

forgive us.

When widowhood pushes you into poverty and dependence on others, like Naomi,

forgive us.

When we have caused your tears by the killing of children, leaving you, like Rachel, to weep and mourn alone

forgive us.

When women continue to be raped like Dinah, triggering revenge and more violence

forgive us.

When we forget to mention Miriam, along with her brothers Moses and Aaron, as one who helped lead Israel out of Egypt

forgive us.

When we forget to use Hannah as an example of someone who gives birth to a son by storming heaven with prayer

forgive us.

When we forget that Mary of Nazareth could be favored by God when the patriarchal society said she couldn't be favored

forgive us.

When we downplay Mary's fortitude never to give up again and again after Bethlehem, after life in Egypt and after grief at Calvary

forgive us.

When we ignore the courage of women like Elizabeth who use their tongues boldly to speak God's will while the tongues of men are mute

forgive us.

When we forget that a senior citizen named Anna proclaimed the birth of the Messiah

forgive us.

When we overlook the second miracle of Cana in Galilee, namely the Mother of God becoming a bold leader in the New Covenant Community

forgive us.

For the times we have behaved like Herods and slaughtered your innocent children in wars, death chambers and by gun violence

forgive us.

For the times we have behaved like Pharisees and publicly shamed you as sinners,

forgive us.

For the times we have forgotten that a thirsty woman was sent from a well in Samaria to evangelize an entire town

forgive us.

When we forget that two women and one non-violent man went all the way to the foot of the cross with Jesus

forgive us.

When we forget that Catherine of Siena counseled a pope, Joan of Arc was a valiant leader of men and Jane de Chantal was a wife and mother before her vocation to be a foundress

forgive us.

When we are silent about the profit that male pornographers make every year on the abuse of women

forgive us.

Let us pray,
Thank you, women of faith, for teaching us how God has favored you during human history. Thank you for your courage, persistence and tolerance in the face of discrimination. You have helped us encounter God with a human face in the wonderful and surprising ways you reveal those graces. Let us be prophetic in creating a new partnership in life that mirrors God's unbiased partnership with humanity. Amen.