Sister Eymard Flood to speak at CCW luncheon

Intermountain Catholic

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Sister Eymard Flood

SALT LAKE CITY - Like clay ready to be shaped by a master potter, so too should be our hearts in God's hands.

This is the message that Sister Eymard Flood, a Sister of St. Clare, plans to bring to the Council of Catholic Women's (CCW) Salt Lake Deanery spring luncheon. Her topic will be the Cure of the Potter.

"A potter works with the soft clay," said Sr. Eymard, who has visited the Belleek pottery in her native Ireland several times. "They never use hard clay. It has to be soft. If they are using hard clay, they have to pound it and beat it for days and water it to get it into shape. The analogy is, if God has to work with us, [it must be] with soft hearts, not hardened hearts, because if we have a hardened heart then it takes longer for God to work through us and with us."

Sr. Eymard entered her order in 1962 and came to the United States in 1967. Currently she is the moderator of the Orange (Calif.) Diocesan Council of Catholic Women and president of the National Conference of Vicars for Religious; she also is the Vicar for Religious for the Diocese of Orange, serving as the bishop's liaison to the religious. Last year she received the Benemerenti Papal Award.

"Sometimes our heart is tender, and then we're able to do anything that God asks us to do," Sr. Eymard said, "but if it's hard, then we refuse to change or refuse to be changed, that's not a good thing."

This message is pertinent for members of the CCW, who will be welcoming newly elected officers this spring, Sr. Eymard said. "It's important to offer them support with a tender heart so they will continue to be women who absorb God and who themselves can help others come to God in a soft, tender way,"

The luncheon is a tradition for the Salt Lake Deanery, said outgoing president Amy Kennedy, adding that the event is the organization's primary fundraiser. Proceeds are used to send officers to national conventions and, this year, also will go toward hosting the diocesan CCW convention in April.

Sr. Eymard is a remarkable speaker, Kennedy said. "She has a huge following among our women. The takeaway from any conversation or presentation with Sister Eymard is that you are empowered and you see how your spirituality can be put to use in every aspect of your life. That's probably why she's such a good teacher and sought-after speaker ... she gets that message across and it's really a way of imparting the Gospel."

The Salt Lake Deanery Spring Luncheon is open to all. It will be Saturday, March 13, 12:30 p.m. at St. Olaf's Catholic Church, 1793 Orchard Dr. in Bountiful. Tickets are $10.