July 15, 2009

Female Catholic leaders focus of next ENDOW luncheon

By Julie Filby

 The founder of a homeless shelter, the president of one of the nation’s top hospitals and a world-renowned professor-author will be the focus of a luncheon talk on Catholic female leaders.

“Visions of Women’s Leadership” is the title of the presentation for the next Professional Women’s Networking Luncheon set for 11:30 a.m. July 30.

The talk will be delivered by Terry Polakovic, a co-founder of and executive director of ENDOW (Educating on the Nature and Dignity of Women), a Catholic nonprofit group dedicated to teaching the “new feminism” of Pope John Paul II.

All the leaders to be discussed are religious sisters.

“It is worth noting that Catholic sisters were the first to build large networks of professional women,” said Polakovic. “Often sisters built and ran the country’s largest private schools and hospital systems.”

The professionals Polakovic will highlight are Sister of Charity of Leavenworth Susanna Kennedy, founder and former director of Denver’s Sacred Heart House for homeless mothers and single women; Sister of Charity of Leavenworth Marianna Bauder, former president of St. Joseph Hospital; and Religious Sister of Mercy Prudence Allen, professor of philosophy at St. John Vianney Theological Seminary and former professor at Concordia University in Montreal.

“All of these women,” noted Polakovic, “have enjoyed great success, spiritually, but also by worldly standards.”

Polakovic will share the sisters’ stories and how they have influenced her personally and professionally.

“I have tried to imitate them in some way as I have developed my own style of leadership,” she said. “Each led in a distinctly feminine way through compassion, hospitality, encouragement, listening, faithfulness, generosity and humility.”

ENDOW educates and inspires women through small study groups. The luncheon series was added to help accommodate those whose schedules do not permit committing to a study group.

Professional Women’s Networking Luncheon

What: luncheon and talk on “Visions of Women’s Leadership”
When: 11:30 a.m.-1:30 p.m., July 30
Where: at a location in Cherry Creek (details provided upon registering). Business attire (no jeans).
Cost: $40 per person
RSVP: by July 24 at EndowOnline.com
Information: call 303-715-3224