Acrylic paintings representing notable women from all walks of life, as well as Biblical and mythological figures, with commentary on each by the artist.

Written by a group of friends, ?Seven Holy Women? is a one-of-a-kind journey into the lives of seven women saints. Each section of the book includes a story from one saint's life, told vividly and imaginatively in the second person; additional information about the saint to give her context; a reflection on ways the writer, reader, and saint intersect on their journeys; personal surveys for the reader and a friend to complete; and a journal prompt that encourages the reader to explore and document her encounter with themes from the saint's life. Created as both a deeply personal and enriching communal experience, ?Seven Holy Women? speaks directly to the reader, drawing her into the lives of seven saints as it invites her to look more closely and lovingly at her own spiritual journey and her friendship with the cloud of witnesses.

Phyllis Zagano is an internationally acclaimed Catholic scholar and lecturer on contemporary spirituality and women's issues in the Church and is a member of the papal commission for the study of the diaconate of women. Her other books with Paulist Press include Women in Ministry: Emerging Questions about the Diaconate and Women Deacons: Past, Present, Future. She is senior research associate-in-residence and adjunct professor of religion at Hofstra University, Hempstead, New York. Book jacket.

Holy Women Icons wouldn't be a book without first being a series of paintings. So, I am grateful for those galleries that have hosted them: Shell Ridge, Karma, Blue Lotus/Woven Soul, and Barnhills. I'm also tremendously grateful for all the people who have supported my art by purchasing or commissioning an original icon or buying a print. It means a great deal for someone to find enough value in my paintings to actually hang them in their home. The fact that these Holy Women are scattered all over the world, providing inspiration for friends, family, colleagues, and strangers is a gift. And these paintings would have never been written about had Xochitl Alvizo not invited me to become a regular writer on Feminism and Religion, featuring one icon each month and expounding upon her story. Xochitl would not have discovered these paintings if Kittredge Cherry had not interviewed me about my beloved queer saints on Jesus in Love. So, I am grateful to these two women who have helped my icons find voices in the wider public. And I am grateful to the Feminism in Religion community for offering encouragement, constructive feedback, and inspiration along the way.

Holy Women Icons began as a painting project, giving traditional iconography a folk feminist twist. Across the vast pantheon of a virtually all-male sainthood, I noticed something was missing: women. Where were all the holy women across spiritual traditions? I've painted over 50 Holy Women Icons and recount their stories in my 2014 book, Holy Women Icons. Now is your chance to join me in the creative process. Color your way toward holiness! As you color, allow each dot to be a meditation, prayer, or mantra. Perhaps you may choose a virtue--such as peace or love--to focus on with each coloring page, or perhaps you could allow the woman you are coloring to inspire a virtue within you. However you choose to color, may your creative time with this contemplative coloring book enliven, inspire, embolden, sooth, and calm you. A brief description of each holy woman, along with a small image of her painting, is found at the back of the coloring book for you to use as a reference if you wish. May these holy women inspire and empower you. May coloring their images embolden you. May you discover something new about spirituality, history, and yourself.

Three related essays by experts on the diaconate that examine the concept of women deacons in the Catholic Church from Thistorical, contemporary, and future perspectives.