The Courage to be Curious
A Story of Courage
HIldegard was a trailblazer. She lived in Western Europe and attended university during World War I, studying literature and philosophy. 1 Her family was Jewish, but they did not observe the practices of their faith. As an adult, she converted to Catholicism after being cared for by nuns during an extended stay in the hospital.
She was constantly learning and curious.
After marrying, her husband became the head of Austria’s first broadcasting company. She was a stay-at-home mother adhering to the social norms of the time which honored children, kitchen, and church.
Her curiosity continually led her out of the home. She took a class in which she discovered that her life was quite different than many other Austrian women. This class exposed the difficult conditions in which poor women and children lived because of the lack of social safety net and child labor laws.
An article about her life written by Dom Antoine Marie osb, quoted a speech she gave. Words that could have been written today.
“In September 1912, Hildegard spoke at the annual gathering of Catholic women's leagues in Vienna: ‘Let us examine if we are not complicit in the misery of the people. We should buy only from conscientious shopkeepers, not pushing them to lower their prices, but demanding from time to time that the manufacturers account for the origin of their products. Too often, the well-off woman pressures storekeepers to sell at unrealistic prices, which is always at the expense of impoverished home workers.’”2
Hildegard Burjan must have had a strong personality. After World War II ended, she was elected to Parliament (the only woman from her party), where she advocated for children and working women. Dom Marie observed, “In Parliament, she promoted social reforms, not as a revolutionary, but in fidelity to the social doctrine of the Church.”3
She served in Parliament for two years. Hildegard said, “Deep interest for politics belongs to a practical Christianity”. Some claim that she encountered anti-semitism and decided leave politics in order to change society in a new way.
She gathered a group of like-hearted women and founded Caritas Socialis, a religious order dedicated to helping women avoid prostitution. She remained married yet led the group as its foundress until her death at 50.
Caritas Socialis has grown to over 900 sisters worldwide and is known for providing care to pregnant women and hospice care to the aged.
Hildegard’s words to inspire courage
"It is not by human wisdom alone that we can do good, but only in union with Christ. In Him we can do all things; without Him, we are completely helpless."4
“God gives us the understanding so that we can recognize an era's need, the causes of the need, and the means that lead to its relief. God does not accidentally put us together with our external circumstances, He does not speak to our heart by accident, He does not accidentally set the tone for this work.”
“Do not lose the presence of God in any encounter with people.”
Now What?
One thing I love about pre-schoolers is their insatiable need for the new— information, experiences, and understanding. They want to know how the world works and why. We were once these curious, light, bright beings. We woke every morning with a sense of wonder about what the new day would bring.
As we mature, it is natural for a thin coat of real life to tarnish curiosity. It’s reasonable to stop asking questions and to “Keep your nose on your own face” as my 6th grade teacher Sr. Aldea used to advise.
In losing touch with our curiosity, we lose touch with our empathy and compassion. We fail to see problems in anyone else’s lives other than our own.
Curiosity sets Hildegard apart from her peers. She did not turn a blind eye to the societal problems in her city.
It’s one thing to recognize a problem; it is another thing altogether to take action to make a difference. Seeing the suffering of another, speaking out, and taking action are all difficult when we think we are alone. Hildegard reminds us that when we stand on the side of justice, we are never alone. God is with us.
She introduced legislation to make lives better for women, including women who worked as domestics. She advocated for fair wages and a social safety net for voiceless women. She also called attention to the plight of children working in factories.
Working within the political world was a part of Hildegard’s life, but power and personal recognition were not attractive to her. Rather, she had the courage to leave politics to follow God’s call to make a difference in a different way— through hands-on service.
Hildegard reminds us that God does not place us within our circumstances on accident. Are you being called to live a practical Christianity, sharing God’s love in a way that is unique to you? Follow your curiosity, ask questions, pray, and, as Hildegard reminds us, “Do not lose the presence of God in any encounter with people.”
For Further Reading
These words penned by Anand Giridharadas encouraged me this week.
Because having, and nurturing, in your life a sphere for joy and connection and community and love and food and music and human difference and living and letting live is everything they are not and is everything they are trying to take away.
Be what scares them. Live lives in colors their eyes can’t even see. Cook food they want to deport. Test the fire code with your parties. Form a scene that meets every Wednesday. Call someone you haven’t in a while. Fight with a smile. Fail and come back. Be weird. Be welcoming. Kiss converts. Refuse despair. Be disobedient. Laugh loudly. Hide someone. Call out. Root down.
They are waging a war on living. The more fully you live, the harder their job will be.
https://wau.org/android_app/article/the_conscience_of_parliament/?_key=8D23FA1C3FA5B6CF6494EDD83F8C5&subscribed=&mass_readings=1
https://www.michaeljournal.org/item/blessed-hildegard-burjan
https://www.michaeljournal.org/item/blessed-hildegard-burjan
https://www.michaeljournal.org/item/blessed-hildegard-burjan
I love the quotes you shared from Hildegard, especially the idea that God has not placed us where we are by accident. Sometimes we need that reminder!
Thank you for sharing this! Leaving politics to serve God by serving others provides us with a great reminder of what we can do during this time as many of us wonder how we can make a difference in this world that seems so upside down and backwards. Hildegard was a very powerful role model for us all.