Quest Women
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Please click here to view the current flyer for Quest Women (PDF document).
A Very Warm Welcome to Quest Women
Hello, my name is Anne-Marie: I am the new National Women’s Officer for Quest and the North-West Women’s Officer.
I came to Quest a few years ago because I was confused, upset and unable to reconcile my sexuality and my faith, which were both very important. Having received a warm reception from a local priest I finally summoned the courage to contact Quest and I haven’t looked back since. My faith and my sexuality are no longer in separate boxes.
Over the last few years the other Women’s Officers and I have put on a variety of events. (Please see Past, present and future women’s events.) They have illustrated that women relish the opportunity to explore their faith in a welcoming environment. Personally, being able to exchange ideas with other women of faith in a safe space has been a truly liberating experience.
I would like to invite you to dip a toe in the water, and to try an event, or attend a local group meeting. You might feel a little nervous at first – we all do – but I think you’ll be glad you did.
The other Quest women and I very much look forward to meeting you!
With best wishes
Anne-Marie
Please contact women@questgaycatholic.org.uk for details.
Past, present and future women’s events
July 2005 Women’s meeting at the Quest National Conference, Liverpool
January 2006 Ladies’ lunch, central Birmingham
May 2006 Day of Reflection, Women in Scripture, central London: A report on the Day of Reflection for Women (PDF, 78 kB)
July 2006 Europride stall and March (mixed), London
July 2006 Women’s drinks reception and meeting, Quest National Conference, Norwich
August 2006 3-day Pride stall event (mixed), Manchester Pride
September 2006 It’s good to talk, open discussion, central London
November 2006 What women want within Quest, open discussion, Leicester
May 2007 Day of reflection, Julian of Norwich, Bedford
July 2007 Women’s drinks reception and meeting, Quest National Conference, Sheffield
August 2007 Pride event (mixed), Manchester
Please contact your local Quest group for regular mixed meetings.
Women at Quest Conference 2006
After the 2005 Conference, Mark Dowd, Chair of Quest, said that he would like the number of women attending this year’s conference to be in double figures! Thanks to Mark’s support and encouragement ,the number of women there this year was 11. It would have actually been 13, but two cancelled at the last minute. This was a record, and hopefully it will be exceeded by next year’s figure!
There was a women’s reception on the first day, and a women’s meeting the following day. At both these events there were champagne and strawberries, kindly provided by Anne-Marie and Ruby, in order to make these events a bit special, and to encourage the women to return!
We discussed ways of attracting more women to Quest, and things which would encourage them to be enthusiastic and active members.
Photographs were taken throughout the weekend, including one at the Chair’s Reception against the backdrop of Henry Moore’s ‘Draped Reclining Woman’ (1957–8) in the grounds of the Sainsbury Centre for Visual Arts. This was rather appropriate and enjoyable, and many extraordinarily tame rabbits joined in the fun!
Women also made unexpected contributions to this year’s conference by means of an impromptu cabaret at the disco, and through Helen’s inspiring talk at the final Mass about her amazing journey.
Women’s events are being organised in different parts of the country, there is a women’s page on the website, and there are now three women on the national committee. We hope that all these things will encourage more women to join Quest and attend events and conferences. Come on ladies, we want to meet you!
Liz, former Quest Women’s Officer
Links
http://www.christianlesbians.com/ – Christian Lesbians – an American website packed with articles, stories and useful links
http://www.catholicwomenl2l.org/ – Conference for Catholic Lesbians – a spirituality resource
http://www.pinksofa.com/ Pink Sofa – a social/chat-room site for women