Holy Women's History Month: Saint Joan of Arc

Margaret Dwyer Hogan reflects on how Saint Joan of Arc has inspired her faith journey.

During Women's History Month, Catholic Mom writers are celebrating the women who have inspired their faith journeys — whether canonized saints, saints in progress, or beloved women from Scripture. Through personal reflections and heartfelt stories, they share how these holy women have touched their lives, offering wisdom, strength, and a deeper connection to God. Join us as we honor the spiritual legacy of these remarkable women and the lasting impact they continue to have on our hearts and souls.

Have you ever in your life been subjected to public shaming? Ridicule? I experienced being “cancelled” long before it entered the mainstream. My crime? Taking an unpopular stand as an elected official in our town.

I remember it like yesterday, praying the Sorrowful Mysteries of the Rosary over and over, and feeling the Lord calling me to walk with the person at the center of the controversy — and not abandon him. And guess who else entered the picture? Saint Joan of Arc.

Facing Battles on the Field and in Life

I have always admired Saint Joan of Arc. Mostly, I loved her sheer audacity to demand to meet with Charles VII during the Hundred Year War (their first meeting reportedly March 7, 1749) after her visions. I had rarely contemplated the end of her life — which happened only two years after leading the French army in the momentous victory at Orleans. Heroine to heretic in 24 months.

I don’t have a deep historical or theological understanding of her life, but I understood her fidelity to do what God was asking her to do — regardless of how others viewed her. I was going from topping the ticket in the last local election, to having an ethics complaint filed against me (dismissed) and my phone ringing off the hook with people disappointed and in disbelief at my position. If they couldn’t get me to agree, they were going to try to bully me into submission.

The details of the battle I found myself in at this time are not important, but what I could not clearly articulate to people at the time was the fact that I had spent a considerable amount of time in prayer, Rosary prayer, discerning. It was during this time Saint Joan of Arc inspired me to pray for the grace and tenacity to do what I felt called to do. I had never really prayed to her before, turning to her was a bit of grace in and of itself.

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Saint Joan of Arc's Example of Fidelity to God's Will

God gives us saints to walk with us in the big and small battles we face daily. The vitriol aimed at me during this time caused a degree of impact on my entire family that ultimately resulted in us picking up and moving to a new community.

A year after the move, I made my Cursillo. I was assigned to the Saint Joan of Arc table! It was a “God wink” for sure. Saint Joan of Arc is a model of integrity, from her first vision when she defied all odds to reach the French Court and plead her case, to her death two years later. She never wavered. I love that about her — her tenacity, courage and devotion to our Lord Jesus Christ, and our Catholic Church. My situation was trite compared to hers — I was not asked to give up my life!

We are called to live differently as Christians in this world. It isn’t always easy, but we need to stay focused on fidelity to God’s will in our lives, to do what He created us to do, in each moment.

Saint Joan of Arc, pray for us!