WOMEN’S SAINT STUDY: Growing in Faith and Fellowship on a Journey with the Saints

When we listen to the promptings of the Holy Spirit, incredible things begin to happen. Karen Weiman and Kelli Lunt, the founders of the Women’s Saint Study, attribute the Holy Spirit to the success and beautiful things that have come out of this group since it began two years ago.

“Honestly, it was one of those inspirations of the Spirit,” Karen says. “I just felt a calling to have a place in the parish where women of all ages and stages can come together and journey with the saints. We can look at their examples and tap into the grace to grow in our own holiness.”

Initially, the group began meeting once a month and reading books about the lives of saints.

“Someone who was attending the study approached us and suggested that we could have a speaker who shares about a different saint every month,” Kelli says. “We thought this was a great idea so the first hour of our meeting is the saint talk and the second hour is discussing our book study.”

This format helps to include women who may not have participated in the book study but are able to come for the speaker. They can learn and share in fellowship during that time and leave for the book study, though they are always welcome to stay and participate. Every few months, the group has a meeting that welcomes the men from the parish to join. These meetings have bigger presentations for the saints that last the whole two hours.

“It is incredible to hear about the saints and their diverse experiences that led them to holiness,” Kelli says. “Some of them didn’t start from a place of virtue. We challenge everyone to share something that really stood out to them and I always enjoy hearing the extraordinary things but also the ordinary. I think those ordinary things are important to realize. Holiness doesn’t mean your life is filled with extraordinary experiences and we see that when we study their lives.”

“So many things have come together in this group that couldn’t be planned,” Karen says. “It is so obvious for us that it is not of our doing. We have a dedicated group of regulars who come monthly, but others come when they can and it is beautiful to see how they contribute with their own perspectives and for others, they happen to come to a meeting that was exactly what they needed to hear and learn about.”

The members of this group include women from their 20s to their 80s. There are single women, young moms, seasoned moms, and grandmas. All are welcome to come and learn about the examples that the saints give us.

“It is amazing to learn from each other and experience spiritual motherhood within this group,” Karen says. “It isn’t a matter of age or experiences. I learn from others who are younger than me and older than me. We all have something to offer. And here we get to offer that spiritual motherhood to others as well as receive it.”

Through friendship, study, and openness to the workings of the Holy Spirit, this group has flourished over the last couple of years.

“We know that spirituality grows in community,” Karen says. “Here we have an opportunity to influence each other, but also have the influence of these saints. We have fellowship and friendship with each other and we are opening a door to have fellowship and friendship with the women in heaven.”

The Women’s Saint Study meets the first Tuesday of each month, from 7-9 p.m., in the St. Francis parish center. The group takes a summer break beginning in June and meets again in the fall. Women of all ages are invited to join.

Karen Weiman, Kelli Lunt, Fr. Steven Arisman, Lauren Scharmer (guest speaker) gather at a Women’s Saint Study presentation.

Through friendship, study and openness to the workings of the Holy Spirit, this group has flourished over the last couple of years.