Conversions and Comparison ft. Sr. Miriam James Heidland

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Today on the podcast I’m so excited to be chatting with Sr. Miriam James Heidland! Sr. Miriam is a sister with the Society of Our Lady of the Most Holy Trinity, a speaker, a podcaster, and an all-around Catholic rockstar. We talk about everything from why she loves Twitter to having breakdowns in the grocery store to feeling like you’re representing the Catholic church to vocational discernment. You don’t want to miss this one! 

 

Topics discussed:

  • How Sr. Miriam became a member of SOLT
  • Why she decides to utilize Twitter
  • What she thinks the biggest problems young women of the faith are facing today
  • How suffering has been bringing her closer to Jesus

We mentioned: 

Find Sr. Miriam: 

Living Your Faith Within Greek Life ft. Candice Mohapp

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Today on the podcast, I’m speaking with Candace Mohapp! Candace was a student I had the honor of working with at Mizzou, and she’s a true example of living your faith within a sorority. Candice was not only the president of Alpha Chi Omega, but she led a Bible study within her sorority and was able to bring her sisters closer to Christ. Candice and I have a great conversation about the importance of evangelization among your friends, the benefits of Greek life for college women, and why she decided to become a missionary after college. Enjoy!

Topics discussed:

  • Why Candice decided to go Greek
  • The hard parts of sorority life
  • The beautiful parts of sorority life
  • Why she wanted to evangelize within her sorority
  • The importance of evangelizing those closest to us
  • Why Candice decided to become a FOCUS missionary

We mentioned: 

 

Race and the Catholic Church ft. Gloria Purvis

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When I watched the coverage of Charlottesville this summer, part of me couldn’t believe it…but part of me totally could. I know that as a white chick living in the burbs, I don’t really confront racism in my everyday life, so I knew I had to have Gloria Purvis on to talk about her experience being a black woman in the Catholic Church. Gloria offers amazing insight on what Catholics can do to love their WOC sisters a little more, and I absolutely loved chatting with her. In the past couple of months, I’ve read two books—The Song and the Silence and The New Jim Crow—that have educated me quite a bit on the history of race in America and its impact on the world today. Talking to someone as educated and passionate as Gloria was just the cherry on top of the sundae. If you feel outraged about the racism plaguing in our country but, um, have no idea what to do because most of your life is lived surrounded by other white people…tune in.

Topics discussed:

  • The difference between Catholic feminism and secular feminism
  • What went through Gloria's head when she saw the events in Charlottesville
  • What "white privilege" actually means 
  • How we as white women can love our WOC in the Church a little more
  • Challenges that Gloria specifically faces within the Church 

We mentioned: 

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Rejecting Throwaway Culture and Loving the Earth ft. Haley Stewart

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OK, honesty hour--I am not that green. I'm trying! But today's guest, Haley Stewart, is pretty much the authority on all things Catholic/green living. Haley is a writer, podcast, blogger, wife, and mom living outside of Waco. On her blog, she talks about rejecting a throwaway culture and embracing a love for Mother Nature. It was a blast to talk with her about green living and I hope you enjoy our conversation!

Topics discussed:

  • Why Haley loves Waco
  • The importance of caring about the Earth, and not just when it affects you 
  • Why Catholics in particular should embrace green living
  • Her new book, Deep Roots
  • Why she started her podcast
  • What murder mystery show she's been loving lately
  • How the Angelus prayer is bringing her closer to God 

We mentioned: 

Find Haley: 

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Singleness and Wrestling with God's Timing ft. Marissa Mullins

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This week on the podcast, we're chatting with my dear friend Marissa all about being single when you know you're called to marriage. When God makes us wait on our vocation, it can be incredibly trying, but Marissa speaks with grace and holiness as she talks about how to thrive in the season of singleness, how to gain a greater respect for the Lord's timing, and how married women can love their single sisters a little better. 

Topics discussed:

  • Marissa's career as a nurse
  • How Marissa is wrestling with singleness and not being in her vocation
  • The importance of trying to thrive in the season you're in
  • What married people should/shouldn't say to single friends
  • Why so many Catholics are called to the medical field (hint: prayer makes you smarter!)
  • How her nephews have been bringing her closer to God lately

We mentioned: 

Find Marissa: 

 

What If You Don't "Get Anything" Out of Mass? ft. Kassie Manning

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I’m so excited to bring you today’s episode! When I saw Kassie's beautiful Mass journals, Every Sacred Sunday, I fell in love with their gorgeous design and simple-yet-powerful meaning. Today, I have Kassie on to talk about why she and her business partner launched Every Sacred Sunday, her career as a scientist, and what to do if you feel like you aren’t “getting anything” out of Mass. Kassie drops some serious wisdom and it was an honor to chat with her. 

Topics discussed:

  • How Kassie's love of nature lead her to a career as a molecular biologist
  • Why she decided to start Every Sacred Sunday
  • Why their company decided to go the Kickstarter route
  • How Kassie handles not feeling like she "gets anything" out of Mass
  • How her personality type has taught her to lean into her strengths 
  • What Kassie's experience with Every Sacred Sunday has taught her about God
  • How silence has been bringing her closer to God

Find Every Sacred Sunday: 

Harry Potter, Wonder Woman, and Engaging in Popular Culture ft. Erica Johnson

Today on the podcast I’m chatting with Erica Johnson, a writer, photographer, and professional Fangirl. After reading a blogpost on why Catholics shouldn’t read Harry Potter, I wanted to have a lighthearted episode on why Catholics should engage with pop culture and what things like Harry Potter, Star Wars, and particularly Wonder Woman can teach us about Jesus and feminism. Erica also talked about sexism within the “nerd” industry and how to be who you truly are in a world that tries to push us into boxes. 

Topics discussed:

  • When Erica first fell in love with nerd culture
  • "Sassy Mary" and different personality types within the Church
  • Christian themes in Harry Potter and Star Wars
  • Why Catholics should engage in popular culture
  • Resonating with Wonder Woman on a spiritual level
  • Sexism within nerd culture
  • What Erica's reading now
  • How Natural Family Planning is bringing Erica closer to God

We mentioned: 

Find Erica: 

Living and Thriving on the Sexuality Spectrum ft. Anna Carter

Today on the podcast I’m chatting with Anna Carter, the co-founder of The Eden Invitation. Anna is a daughter of God who experiences bisexuality while living and thriving in the Catholic Church. Anna talks about discovering she wasn’t only attracted to men, how straight feminists can love their not-so-straight sisters more, and how her life has been shaped by Jesus Christ. (PS: we swear a bit, so this episode may not be suited for little ears!)

This was a super hard interview for me to do, and I explain why in the intro. I stressed out about it for, like, weeks, which is ridiculously stupid because Anna is amazing and beautiful and brilliant. But I just want everyone to know how much I love them and that if this is a hard topic for you, I see you I see you I see you. Promise. 

Topics discussed:

Find The Eden Invitation: 

 

How Beauty Saves and Alcoholism Destructs ft. Erica Tighe

Today on the podcast, I’m honored to be chatting with Erica Tighe. Erica is the founder of Be A Heart Design, which has worked with clients like Blessed Is She and Leah Darrow. Erica has an amazing story about being inspired to start her company, learning how to discern God’s will in our lives, and overcoming an alcohol addiction. We also talk quite a bit about beauty, and why it even matters in the world. When refugees are struggling to escape their countries and people are struggling with mental illness and our earth is slowly being destroyed, why does pretty calligraphy matter? Erica has such a great response to that question, and I can’t wait for y’all to hear it!

Topics discussed:

  • What feminism means to Erica
  • Why Erica founded Be a Heart
  • Why beauty and calligraphy matter so much in our broken world
  • How to discern "God's will" 
  • How Satan uses addiction to tear us from God

We mentioned: 

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Theology of the Body and the Pain of Miscarriage ft. Carrie Archual

Today on the podcast we’re speaking with Carrie Archual of the Theology of the Body Institute! Carrie is speaking with us about TOB and what it says about men vs. women. We also talk about her two miscarriages and how we as Catholics should respond to this tragedy. Lastly, we discuss PPD and the effect its had on her life and her family. These are some taboo topics that I was honored to speak with Carrie about. I mean, think about it—if we believe abortion is a child dying…we should believe the same about miscarriage. We should properly mourn miscarried babies and support our friends going through this tragedy, but instead, we usually just feel uncomfortable talking about it. I was so grateful that Carrie was vulnerable and honest, and it was a pleasure to speak with her.

Topics discussed:

  • How Carrie was introduced to TOB
  • What TOB says about women
  • Why TOB is so needed in the world today
  • How Carrie's two miscarriages have deeply impacted her
  • What it's like to be a working mom
  • How Carrie has been affected by postpartum depression

Find the Theology of the Body Institute: 

 

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Carrie and the TOB Institute are generously gifting one listener to the Catholic Feminist Podcast a copy of Theology of the Body for Beginners and a corresponding CD! Winner will be randomly chosen on 8/11/17.

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Embracing Freedom in Your Finances ft. Amanda Teixeira

Jesus tells us not to worry about money, right? And the rich man is supposed to give everything he has to the poor. But how do we balance these true, beautiful Bible stories with a real need to, um…pay off student loans, save up for a house, donate money, buy sustainable clothing, put food on the table, etc.?

Today’s podcast guest, Amanda Teixeira has the answer. Amanda talks all about why Catholics should care about their bank accounts, why it isn’t unbiblical to care about money, and how you can take small steps today that will pay off in your financial future. This episode is perfect for anyone struggling to pay off debt, wondering when they’ll ever get the chance to give as much as they’d like to, or wishing they could reconcile a prudent desire to save with a concern that they’re over-obsessed with finances. I can’t wait for you to tune in!

Today's episode was brought to you by Prep Dish. If you're interested in saving money on your grocery bill, try out Prep Dish's easy-to-use subscription-based meal planning service! Head to prepdish.com and enter TCF for a 2-week free trial. Yum!

Topics discussed:

  • Why Catholics should be concerned about their bank accounts
  • Whether money is "good" or "bad"
  • How Amanda and her husband fought off debt and embraced financial freedom
  • Common money mistakes among both single and married women
  • How Amanda's life and motherhood was blessed through fundraising
  • The importance of receiving love and help 
  • Amanda's new e-course, Wallet Win
  • How to start small on the path towards responsible finances

We mentioned: 

Find Amanda: 

 

Life With Mother Teresa and Doing Small Things With Great Love ft. Mother Mary Catherine

You all KNOW how much I love St. Teresa of Calcutta. Today, I’m honored to share a conversation with a sister who worked with Mama T for years. Mother Mary Catherine, the founder of the Missionaries of the Word, was a Missionary of Charity before an illness sent her home. Her firsthand stories of Mother Teresa’s kindness, humor, and generosity will make your day. We also talk about the idea of going “all in” with Jesus and Mother Mary Catherine shares her best tips for vocational discernment. This episode is perfect for anyone considering the religious life or struggling with letting God have her whole heart. Enjoy!

Today’s episode is brought to you by Prep Dish, the easy-to-use meal planning program that makes busy wives’ lives a LOT easier. Head to prepdish.com and use TCF at checkout for a free 2-week trial. 

Topics discussed:

  • Why Mother Mary Catherine felt drawn to the religious life 
  • The struggles of giving up our own dreams and saying yes to God
  • What it was like to work with Mother Teresa 
  • How Mother Teresa did "small things with great love"
  • Why Mother Mary Catherine left the MCs and began the Missionaries of the Word
  • Tips for vocational discernment

We mentioned: 

Find the Missionaries of the Word: 

 

Lightening the Load and Clinging to Prayer ft. Elise Crawford

"She sets about her work vigorously; her arms are strong for her tasks. She sees that her trading is profitable, and her lamp does not go out at night.”

 If anyone’s ever told you that women who work aren’t biblical, feel free to point them towards Proverbs 31! Today, we’re talking to Elise Crawford, the founder and CEO of Ringlet, a DC-based marketing company that helps female entrepreneurs market their services and brand their businesses. Elise shares all about how prayer helped kickstart her business, how she continues to make God the center of her company and life, and the power of women who work. It was an honor to speak with Elise and I think her episode holds value for all women, whether you’re a SAHM, worker bee, or somewhere in between! Because we all WORK, whether it’s in a boardroom or emptying the dishwasher or studying for a final, and you? You’re doing amazing.

Topics discussed:

  • Why Elise decided to start a business focused on helping women succeed
  • The power of prayer in her life when she faced crossroads decisions
  • The difference between male and female entrepreneurs
  • The dignity of women working
  • Avoiding the comparison "trap" and how to use comparison to push yourself towards your goals 

We mentioned: 

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Faith, Feminism and the Vocation of Marriage ft. Ana Glaze

Is marriage a feminist vocation? Today’s guest certainly thinks so! We’re talking to Ana Glaze, one half of That Catholic Couple on YouTube. She and her husband share daily vlogs for their fans (hey doughnut squad!) about life as a fun, faithful Catholic couple. Ana beautifully shares why she and her husband started vlogging, how to keep marriage a vocation instead of an idol, how she balances being a strong wife with that awkward Bible verse about listening to your husband, how her own fractured relationship with her father has affected her marriage, and the importance of weekly family meetings. Ana is hilarious, smart, and super fun to talk to, so I’m honored to share our conversation today!

Today's episode is sponsored by Prep Dish. For a free 2-week trial, head to prepdish.com and enter "TCF" at checkout! Prep Dish is the best meal planning and recipe service on the market, making Catholic feminists lives ten times easier. We don't always have time or meal planning, y'all--we're out here trying to raise disciples, fight the secular patriarchy, and save the world. Can I get an Amen?! 

5 Tips On Being a Faithful, Feminist Wife

Want some suggestions from Ana and Claire on how to be the best wife possible?! We whipped up a FREE guide just for you. We're far from experts, but we believe a strong community of women should uphold and uplift one another in times when you want to scream at your husband instead of love him.

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Topics discussed:

  • The time Ana and I shared a hotel room for three days and barely spoke, ha!
  • How Ana met her husband
  • The importance of being honest about the difficulties within the vocation of marriage 
  • What best practices they put to work in their marriage to grow closer to one another and to Jesus
  • How to handle balancing male leadership with being a strong wife 
  • How her own broken relationship with her father has affected her marriage 
  • St Joseph's impact on her marriage 

We mentioned: 

Find That Catholic Couple: 

Cultivating a Global Mindset ft. Beth Awalt

"If you can't feed a hundred people, then feed just one." - St. Teresa of Calcutta.

This quote completely sums up my view of social justice. Today I'm speaking with Beth Awalt, the co-founder of The Starfish Foundation. After going on a mission trip to Ecuador, Beth was so moved that she began a non-profit to empower and equip schoolchildren there. Beth serves as a shining example of learning about an issue and taking concrete action steps to help solve it. Beth's story of beginning her non-profit and all of the struggles she encountered is fascinating and I'm honored to share it with you today! 

Topics discussed:

  • Why Beth began The Starfish Foundation
  • What the Foundation does to help children in Ecuador
  • How you can become a part of this mission
  • The struggles of starting a non-profit 
  • Why it's important to volunteer, no matter where you are in the world
  • The importance of "people-first" vocabulary 
  • How small changes can make a big impact when it comes to building bridges between cultures
  • What God taught Beth through this experience 

Find The Starfish Foundation:

 

Living Out Your Faith and Feminism In An Office Setting ft. Terri Meyerhofer

Of all of the episode requests, this has been the MOST requested: "Can you have someone on that talks about living out your faith in a normal office setting? We aren't all speakers, SAHMs, or bloggers." 

I got you, girl! I'm so excited to bring you a conversation with Terri Meyerhofer. Terri is a dear friend--we lived together senior year of college--and she's also a civil engineer. That's right, girl BUILDS BRIDGES. She's pretty much amazing. Terri and I dive deep into what its like to work in the secular world, how she keeps her faith afloat when she works 50-60 hours a week, and how to handle sexism at work. She has some great insight and it was a treat to speak with her. Enjoy!

Topics discussed:

  • Terri's journey to RCIA and baptism 
  • Why she decided to become a civil engineer
  • How she confronts sexism in her field
  • Why engineering tends to be male-dominated
  • The difficulties of working as a woman surrounded by a ton of men
  • How she lives out her faith within the constrictions of a 9-5
  • How she learned to find her worth in other places than work 

How Can I Talk About Abortion In a Truthful, Loving Way? ft. Sr. Virginia Joy

Today on the podcast, we have our first ever woman religious! I knew when I kicked off The Catholic Feminist that I wanted to have sisters on as well as laypeople. Sisters are OUR sisters, and they're a very important part of Catholic womanhood. So it was an honor to speak with Sister Virginia Joy about the Sisters of Life and how to effectively communicate about abortion. 

Topics discussed:

  • Who the Sisters of Life are and what they do
  • The long-term effects of abortion on women
  • Why being pro-life is actually a feminist position
  • The importance of keeping an open dialogue with those on the pro-choice side
  • What to do if a friend or family member is considering having an abortion
  • The one thing we must do to help the pro-life movement (hint: it's prayer!) 
  • How to speak to others about abortion
  • How to discern your vocation if you're struggling in that department

We mentioned: 

Find the Sisters of Life: 

Shopping Ethically and Embracing Fair Trade ft. Erin Mackey

Enter to win an ethical gift package!

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This week I’m speaking with Erin Mackey from Catholic Relief Services. I don't know about you, but I'm an ignorant shopper: I buy $4 t-shirts because their $4, and I don't stop to think about the conditions of the factory workers. I just don't! But I'm working to change that. Worker's rights are very important to the Catholic faith and, as Erin says, popes have been writing about the issue for years. It was great to speak with Erin and I hope her tips and tricks help you to shop smarter and more ethically. 

"I address a strong appeal that the dignity and safety of the worker always be protected." - Pope Francis

Topics discussed:

  • Why Erin got involved in ethical trade
  • What ethical trade is and why it's important for Catholics
  • The difference between fair trade and ethical trade 
  • Why we buy to fill holes instead of turning to Jesus 
  • The changes CRS went through when it came to ethical trade 
  • How fast fashion is hurting the environment
  • Why and how CRS vets shops for their ethical trade website
  • How to shop ethically on a budget

We mentioned: 

Find Catholic Relief Services: 

 

What Losing Everything I Own Taught Me About Jesus ft. Kallin Zehren

"If you want to be perfect, go, sell your possessions and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow me." - Jesus. 

When Kallin, a Tulane student, came home from dinner at her sorority house to find her home burning down, it was a radical moment in her life. Jesus didn't ask her to give Him her possessions--he straight up took 'em. Kallin and I have a conversation on what it was like to lose everything she owned, how the Lord used the tragedy to instill in her gratitude, and what the generosity of others taught her about God. 

I've known Kallin for four years and she's an inspiring, amazing young woman. I'm so happy to be able to share our chat with you today!

Topics discussed:

  • How Kallin helped the Tulane Catholic Center grow and flourish 
  • How to evangelize when the community isn't exactly ripe for evangelization
  • What happened when her home burned down 
  • How studying abroad in Thailand helped shape her view on possessions 
  • How humbling it is to go from being the "giver" to the "receiver" 
  • The true meaning of generosity 
  • The lessons God taught her through this experience

If you'd like to join Kallin's support team as a FOCUS missionary, please feel free to reach out to her!

Join the Contentment Challenge

Are you ready for 7 days of ZERO unplanned spending and some prayerful emails for accountability? Turn away from buying meaningless items and turn towards Jesus.

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Surviving Assault And Offering Radical Forgiveness ft. Rosario Rodriguez

Today on the podcast, I'm speaking with Rosario Rodriguez about how to forgive others when the worst has happened to us. Rosario is the survivor of two violent crimes, and her story of going from a suicidal depression to offering forgiveness to her attackers is simply beautiful. 

"For if you forgive other people when they sin against you, your Heavenly Father will also forgive you. But if you do not forgive others their sins, your Father will not forgive your sins." That's all well and good when, you know, someone cuts me off on the highway. Or someone gossips about me a little. I self-righteously smile, pat myself on the back, and offer forgiveness as if it's the price I have to pay to get into Heaven. But what about bigger things? Family disagreements that have lasted years? True, hurtful incidents with friends? Being assaulted? Being shot? 

Rosario's insights on forgiveness are straight from the heart. She's had to forgive the most terrible crimes we can think of. It's a powerful testimony, and I'm honored to share it with you today! 

Topics discussed:

  • Rosario's assaults and how she believes the Virgin Mary may have intervened
  • How her first assault led her into a suicidal depression
  • How a priest helped her learn what true forgiveness is
  • When to know when you need to distance yourself from someone and if it's possible to still offer them forgiveness
  • What to do if you're struggling to forgive someone in your own life

We mentioned: 

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