We are a Fox Valley area Women’s Bible Study which is supported by local Catholic parishes. Women from many parishes participate, but it is not necessary to belong to a parish to join. We presently gather in person or on Zoom. We follow a school year schedule, meeting at one of the host parishes for the Fall semester and the Winter/Spring semester. There is a separate registration for each semester. Our sessions consist of a reflection on the readings by one of our teaching leaders, and then a small group discussion using the questions provided by the publisher we are using. The questions include objective information about the text, as well as faith-sharing. Each group has a leader to guide the discussion for about 8-10 participants. Structured childcare is provided.
How did this study group get started? In the fall of 1997, the Fox Valley Catholic Bible Study for Women met for the first time. This study group came about because Catholic women were looking for a Bible study that allowed Catholic viewpoints to be expressed, examined and supported. A group of lay leaders from Holy Cross in Batavia; Saint Peter in Geneva; Saint John Neumann and Saint Patrick Parishes in Saint Charles as well as Resurrection Catholic Community in Wayne joined together to plan for an area wide Bible Study. With the guidance of Mr. John McGrath, Adult Ed Director of the Rockford Diocese, parishioners from a group of Catholic parishes in the city of Rockford and surrounding area had organized a large area Bible Study using Bible Study material offered by Catholic book publishers. The Rockford study leaders generously shared their experiences and their structure with the Fox Valley Bible Study planning group.
They created the following mission statement:
The Fox Valley Catholic Bible Study for Women will offer a structured, Catholic daytime scripture study with a companion program for preschool children. This study is intended to enrich and challenge women to grow in faith and in the knowledge of God and His Word within a supportive Catholic faith community and to live the gospel. All area women are invited to attend.
The goals of the study are to:
- Help Catholic women gain knowledge of God through His Word.
- Offer biblical teaching /interpretation consistent with the teachings of the Catholic Church.
- Provide a supportive, loving and spiritual environment for Catholic women.
- Encourage women to recognize and strengthen the body of Christ within their own parishes.
- Provide opportunity for a deepening faith and love for our Lord Jesus Christ.
- Foster and celebrate a sense of community within the larger Church.
- Offer a spiritually enriching program for children.
Over the past 27 years, we have studied dozens of books of the Bible, as well as various themed studies incorporating texts from several of the books. We have studied some books of the Bible more than once as the readings affect us differently at different stages of our lives and there are always so many women who have joined us since the last time we studied the book. These studies have strengthened our faith and drawn us ever closer to God.
The study has also provided a way to meet Catholic women from throughout the area. As the small groups get together, bonds are formed. The women trust one another to not share what others have said. In praying together, we feel a solidarity with our fellow followers of Christ. “See how they love one another” could be said observing this Bible study in action.
