The Catholic Feminist

Follow: Logging Out and Leaning In, a serial non-fiction book available only to Letters subscribers. You’re probably reading this on your cell phone. And just before you read this, you probably saw something else that made you mad. A controversial hot take. A perfectly-primped-and-primed mom influencer with her five children in identical rust-toned overalls. A “Christian” influencer holding not-so-Christian opinions. Follow is an 9-part serialized book that’s equal parts hope-filled invitation and steadfast anthem to find freedom from social media practices that are hurting our souls and crushing our spiritual lives. Because following Jesus doesn’t take place on a cell phone. You don’t have to give in to the cultural captivity of social media. Follow will help Catholics everywhere step forward into faith by logging out of the echo chamber and leaning in to the world around us—the kingdom gift we’ve been given. Follow will be available to all subscribers to our Substack newsletter, Letters from a Catholic Feminist, and released in serial form. I’m living out my lifelong dream of publishing how Charles Dickens and Louisa May Alcott did—piece by piece. From April to December, Letters subscribers will receive a chapter of Follow, as well as a worksheet to help themselves narrow in on how they want to use (or not use) social media to bring about the kingdom of God. Get signed up today by subscribing to Letters From a Catholic Feminist at the catholicfeministpodcast.com/letters. 

Oh, my sisters—it has been the absolute joy of a lifetime. May we continue to believe in Christ, in the church, and in ourselves. I just wanted to chat with you today about how to walk forward as a Catholic feminist, and how to celebrate the Gospel goodness + your fellow sisters. Please, please, please stay connected with the Catholic Feminist! I’ll still be on Instagram. You can check out my books. I hope you consider joining us on pilgrimage. Maybe you’ll even hop on our subscriber list for Letters from a Catholic Feminist! It has been an honor to learn from YOU, sister. May we keep learning. This episode was brought to you by Awaken My Heart, a new book by Emily Wilson Hussem. Check it out at AveMariaPress.com! This episode was also brought to you by Hallow, the meditation app for Catholics. Go to Hallow.com/catholicfeminist for a free 30-day trial.

This spring, when many of us were unable to attend Mass, we felt the ache for normalcy and the sacraments. Personally, it reminded me that all around the world, millions of Christians are being persecuted for their faith--that the ability to safely attend mass is a privilege I have that so many others don't. Today's guest is Gia Chacon, founder of For The Martyrs. Gia's passion for speaking up for persecuted Christians is truly inspiring and I learned SO much from her about things going on in Iran, Nigeria, and other places around the globe. I hope our episode reminds you of the gift of a persecution-free faith and emboldens you to continue speaking up for your own religious rights.  This episode was brought to you by Gather Together, a new book out from Ave Maria Press. Check it out at avemariapress.com! This episode was also brought to you by Hallow, the meditation app for Catholics. Go to Hallow.com/catholicfeminist for a free 30-day trial.

Juggling motherhood + business as an artist isn’t easy for anyone, and today’s guest is no exception. Ann Vaeth of Paper Monestary is helping us understand how motherhood can HELP our art, not hinder it, and how she thrives as a Catholic artist when the artistic world is so secular. So often these days, motherhood is shown as a hinderance to artistic endeavors and I love this truly feminist perspective from Ann. We also discuss her conversion to the faith, if Ann struggles with comparison on Instagram, and how she balances the business side of her art. Enjoy! This episode was brought to you by Ave Explores, an initiative of Ave Maria Press. Sign up for all of the free content at avemariapress.com and learn what the holy witness of the saints means for us. This episode was also brought to you by Hallow, the meditation app for Catholics. Go to Hallow.com/catholicfeminist for a free 30-day trial.

You’ve heard it constantly: the “nones” are the fastest growing religion in the world. Why are we hemorrhaging Catholics? Author, wife, and mama Mallory Smyth breaks down why she spent time away from the Catholic faith and what brought her back. In her story, we can find lessons learned about keeping, spreading, and living the faith. This isn’t a board meeting of parish workers talking about How to Attract the Millennials, it’s just 2 friends sharing their own stories of finding Jesus in the Catholic Church and working to rekindle a love for him in others. This episode was brought to you by Ave Explores, an initiative of Ave Maria Press. Sign up for all of the free content at avemariapress.com and learn what the holy witness of the saints means for us. This episode was also brought to you by Hallow, the meditation app for Catholics. Go to Hallow.com/catholicfeminist for a free 30-day trial.  

It's one of the joys of the podcast that I get to sometimes sit with my besties and do deep dives over their life decisions--ha! On today's show, we're chatting with Emily Linn, a young adult minister within the Diocese of Milwaukee. Emily is a wife, mom, and passionate ministry worker who has some great insight into burnout. What does burnout feel like? How do you know if you should step away from your ministry job? How do you know if you're truly 'called' to ministry? These are the questions Emily and I tackle together, and it was a gift to have her on the show. If you're currently experiencing burnout within your ministry job, know this: Jesus sees you. He does. Even--especially--when others don't.  This episode was brought to you by Ave Explores, an initiative of Ave Maria Press. Sign up for all of the free content at avemariapress.com and learn what the holy witness of the saints means for us. This episode was also brought to you by Sock Religious. For 10% off a pair of Catholic socks, enter FEM10 at checkout.

Did you know that 1 in 5 women use the Internet for sexual activity every single week?! My mind was blown when I learned that statistic. When you know it’s THAT large a number, you know it has to be an awful lot of Catholics engaging in practices that dehumanize our brothers and sisters and shred God’s design for healthy sex. Today’s guest, Bella Bryant, knows exactly what it’s like to suffer from pornography addiction. She’s here to share her story of healing, how her sexual abuse as a child impacted her addiction, and why she’s so focused on helping others know their true worth and break the bonds of porn. Enjoy! This episode was brought to you by Ave Explores, an initiative of Ave Maria Press. Sign up for all of the free content at avemariapress.com and learn what the holy witness of the saints means for us. This episode was also brought to you by Sock Religious. For 10% off a pair of Catholic socks, enter FEM10 at checkout.

Here’s the tricky part about being a feminist: I want every woman to feel confident and empowered…and I also want every woman to be healthy. And I know that right now, especially in America, we’re not. So how can we treat our bodies like temples while also avoiding fat shaming or pride? Today’s guest, Rebecca Dussault, is an Olympic cross-country skier and a mom of six with a passion for the intersection of fitness and faith. We dive into allllll of it: why she thinks the Olympics committees dislike motherhood, why she’s so passionate about fitness, and why she thinks treating our bodies well is a way of loving God. I loved talking to Rebecca and I hope your chat resonates with you today! This episode was brought to you by Ave Explores, an initiative of Ave Maria Press. Sign up for all of the free content at avemariapress.com and learn what the holy witness of the saints means for us. This episode was also brought to you by Sock Religious. For 10% off a pair of Catholic socks, enter FEM10 at checkout.

Danielle Noonan is a singer, songwriter, speaker, and mama with a passion for following God’s call—even when it meant moving her family out to a farm! I loved chatting with Danielle today all about the beauty of art within the Catholic Church, what COVID has been like as a musician, and what her songwriting process entails. We also dive in to why she decided to join us on our 2021 pilgrimage to France. Enjoy! This episode was brought to you by Ave Explores, an initiative of Ave Maria Press. Sign up for all of the free content at avemariapress.com and learn what the holy witness of the saints means for us. This episode was also brought to you by Sock Religious. For 10% off a pair of Catholic socks, enter FEM10 at checkout.

In today's episode, we're talking with writer and podcaster Samantha Stephenson all about egg donation, surrogacy, and other troubling bioethics developments that the world accepts and the church refuses. Why is that? Isn't egg donation just #womenhelpingwomen? Isn't surrogacy just helping women who want to have kids have them?! Not so, says Samantha--in fact, her insight as to why these procedures are harmful for women is incredibly interesting and she provides tons of resources for those interested in learning more. Enjoy! Today’s episode is brought to you by Select to Give, a charitable giving program that helps persecuted Christians in the Holy Land. 

Today, I’m bringing YOUR questions to Danielle Brown, the Associate Director of the USCCB’s Committee Against Racism. We’re talking everything from Black Lives Matter to talking to your specific priest about racial justice to how to have conversations about race in a way that honors God. It’s easy, sisters, to be angry and allow our anger to divide us from our fellow sisters. To paint them as caricatures and dehumanize. It’s harder to have conversations in a way that views each person as Imago Dei, searches for real solutions, and relies on grace. Enjoy!

A few months ago I heard one of my favorite podcasters mention that she went to marriage counseling sometimes with her husband, and I’m embarrassed to admit that I was a bit…scandalized. I know! I stink. But in my mind, marriage therapy was for people who were, like, borderline divorce. It seemed awkward and shameful. And even though we’d had plenty of episodes on therapy, I realized I still had barriers built up around the idea of marriage counseling. Thankfully, marriage and family therapist Jessica Barboza could join me for a chat all about what marriage therapy is (and isn’t!) She’s also very passionate about the pre-cana experience and how our marriage prep classes often fail to truly prepare couples for the sacrament of marriage. This episode is perfect for any engaged women or women who have been struggling to communicate well with their husband and have been considering marriage therapy. I loved talking to Jessica and I’m honored to feature our conversation today—enjoy!

In today’s episode, we’re chatting with Karna Lozoya, a veteran Catholic reporter with a nose for news and a passion for the truth. We talk all about her new podcast, Crisis, which explores the origins and reforms of the sexual abuse crisis within our church. I especially enjoyed hearing about Karna’s experience interviewing victims and how it impacted her views as a Catholic. This is a heavy topic handled with grace and compassion, and while it may frustrate you as it did me, I hope that it also empowers you to constantly speak the truth, no matter what the consequences may be. Today’s episode is brought to you by Letters From a Catholic Feminist, our new biweekly newsletter. When the CFP finale airs in November, you can still get your Catholic feminism fix by reading Catholic essays, book roundups, guest articles, and more twice a month.

Amanda Vernon grew up singing hymns passed down from generations before her since her father told her if she was singing, she might as well be praying. And she never stopped doing either! Today, Amanda is an accomplished musician with four kids who spreads the Gospel through the gift of music. She's also a writer, and her book discusses the tumultuous time in her life when she dated a man who eventually discerned the priesthood. I absolutely loved her insight on intimacy: why do we all need it? Why is it so vital? How can we find it if we're NOT currently married? Amanda is a true gift to our church and I hope our conversation resonates with you! This episode has been brought to you by Audible. For a free audio book and a free 30-day trial, head to audibletrial.com/catholic. This episode has also been brought to you by the CLT exam. Check out cltexam.com to learn more about this SAT/ACT alternative. 

This ones for my book nerds: where you at? 📚If you love Jesus and love books, but don't always love books *about* Jesus, this ones for you. Author Lindsey Todd and I are talking about why she writes novels, why we think so much Catholic fiction falls flat for us, and why it's important for Catholics to read outside of our bubbles from time to time. We also chat about her work with the Chastity Project and she tries to convince me to outline my writing projects, which...I'm still not 100% sold on. Impulse Writer 4 Life. Enjoy!  This episode has been brought to you by Audible. For a free audio book and a free 30-day trial, head to audibletrial.com/catholic. This episode has also been brought to you by the CLT exam. Check out cltexam.com to learn more about this SAT/ACT alternative. 

When I first read Sister Desiré's public letter on being the only black Felician sister, I was struck by one line in particular: that she felt invisible. As Catholic feminists, we know that we don't want a single one of our sisters to not feel seen, known, encouraged, and loved. So I invited Sr. on the show to walk us through why she feels that way, how we can be better listeners to one another, and how we can acknowledge pain while searching for solutions within the racial justice movement. We also discuss her love for dance and how she uses this hobby as a beautiful, awe-inspiring prayer. This episode is perfect for you if you've been struggling to understand why some of our sisters who identify as black are upset, and want to have a conversation about it in a way that points towards Christ. Enjoy! This episode has been brought to you by Audible. For a free audio book and a free 30-day trial, head to audibletrial.com/catholic. This episode has also been brought to you by the CLT exam. Check out cltexam.com to learn more about this SAT/ACT alternative. 

Are you a cradle Catholic or a loud & proud convert? Today's guest, Claudine Noel, shares her story of falling in love with the Catholic faith and being baptized with zero family present. Her vulnerability and strength were so inspiring to me, and are part of what makes her a phenomenal life coach! Claudine is here to share with us how she embodies the feminine genius in her life coaching business, what the difference is between life coaching, therapy, and spiritual direction, and the importance of finding leaders who are *Catholic* and not going to try and convince you to meditate with your crystals or something. 😅 Speaking with Claudine was a delight and I hope our conversation resonates with you! This episode has been brought to you by Audible. For a free audio book and a free 30-day trial, head to audibletrial.com/catholic. This episode has also been brought to you by the CLT exam. Check out cltexam.com to learn more about this SAT/ACT alternative. 

Jesus hung out with the poor. But you know who funds Catholic Relief Services, builds the churches, donates the food, influences the culture? The rich, friend. If you have greater than $4,000 in property or your bank account, congratulations—you’re in the top 50% of wealth owners in the world. Today’s guest is Elena Nunez Murdock, a passionate Latina and entrepreneur whose new company, Mission 2 Launch, helps Catholics transform their careers. Elena and I are talking all about wealth: is it bad? Can we have it? Can we strive for it? Can we be capitalists? I absolutely love Elena’s insight on the importance of being bold, chasing your dreams, and viewing money as a tool for either good or evil. I also really appreciate her passion for diversity and her focus on having a company that represents the universality of the church. Enjoy! Today's episode is brought to you by Select International Tours. Plan a pilgrimage for 2021 and beyond by heading to selectinternationaltours.com/feminist. Today's episode is also brought to you by the CLT exam. Bring classics into your standardized testing by visiting cltexam.com and learning about this SAT/ACT alternative. 

During COVID, are you spending a lot more time online than usual? If so...who are you paying attention to? Your IRL friends? Popular Catholic speakers? Are they diverse in thought and culture? Are they intelligent? Are they funny? Do they speak to people with charity? Today's guest is Sam Povlock, an online-turned-real friend and the founder of FemCatholic. Sam was on the show before a million years ago but I'm thrilled to have her back to talk about her new online community, FIAT. We also discuss how listening has been bringing her closer to God lately and why she thinks women utilizing their own unique gifts is what will truly change the world. I also enjoyed chatting with her about the word feminist: why is it so inflammatory? Should it be? If you still have hesitations about calling yourself a feminist or if people you know to be perfectly pleasant turn into...less-than-charitable-children-of-God online, this is the perfect episode for you! Today's episode is brought to you by Select International Tours. Plan a pilgrimage for 2021 and beyond by heading to selectinternationaltours.com/feminist. Today's episode is also brought to you by the CLT exam. Bring classics into your standardized testing by visiting cltexam.com and learning about this SAT/ACT alternative. 

We're told that we can't look away from problems of the world: we must be knee-deep in activism at all times, constantly aware...but is it okay to step back? To let things sink in before responding in a flash? Heck yes says today's podcast guest. Maribel Rodriguez Laguna is a therapist on the board of the Catholic Psychotherapy Association. We chat about why burnout occurs, why so many "wounded healers" enter ministry and mission work, and why there's *still* so much stigma around mental health issues in Catholicism. Her insight on the history of the field of psychology is so interesting, and I love what she has to say about knowing when it's time to seek counseling. This episode is perfect for anyone who feels they may want to take the leap and try therapy, as well as anyone who feels a little "ehhh" about the field of psychology. Enjoy! Today's episode is brought to you by Select International Tours. Plan a pilgrimage for 2021 and beyond by heading to selectinternationaltours.com/feminist. Today's episode is also brought to you by the CLT exam. Bring classics into your standardized testing by visiting cltexam.com and learning about this SAT/ACT alternative.