Momentary Peace: an examination of the Catholic references in the works of Gertrud Leutenegger
examines the way Catholic images allusions and references are used by Gertrud Leutenegger a
contemporary Swiss writer in expressing engagement with her faith a theme developed from text
to text over the period of 1975-2004. Two main religious themes run through the selected texts
Vorabend Ninive Kontinent Meduse Acheron Sphärenklang and Pomona - rejection of the
institutionalised Church and the search for a female expression of Catholicism to counter a
male dominated Church. Leutenegger's use of motifs and symbols drawn from Bible stories myths
and legends and a range of other intertextual references is discussed. A tension between the
strong image of Mary as nurturer of the infant Christ and the secondary role allocated to women
by the Church links the two dominant religious themes in Leutenegger's works. The idea of
flight from danger to a point of safety and the moments of peace that occur along the way as
the metaphorical framework in which spiritual awareness is developed is identified as common
to each work.
