Women of the Early Church

By Brittany W.

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An issue that I had always had with the Catholic faith is the fact that women seem to only play supporting roles in the church. Why did the church feel so dominated by males? One of the first class meetings we had in January, Sister Sara opened our eyes to the influence and power women had on the early church. At the beginning of Christianity, women played an important role in the church. Women were often the first to convert to Christianity and in return convert their husbands. One of Paul’s last letters he wrote to first introduced women who had helped in his faith or in life. Mary of Magdalene is said to be the apostle of the twelve apostles. She was the last person to leave Jesus on the cross and the first person to encounter Jesus when rose from the tomb. Women carried a huge role in supporting the church that it seems silly that women were washed away by later Christians. I am still unconvinced on the reason as to why women are not often celebrated as much as men but it is a comfort to me that when Jesus preached to audiences he looked out for both men and women.