As a convert, I came into the Church with some misconceptions about what the life of a Catholic women should look like. We didn’t know many Catholics in real life. Our parish even had to rustle up a sponsor for us because we didn’t have any Catholic friends. I think his name was Mike? God bless him, wherever he is.
ANYHOW, my perception of Catholic womanhood came from a small niche of Catholic homeschooling mom bloggers. They were lovely women, but I was under the impression that their lives were what I was supposed to shoot for if I was to be a good Catholic. And that’s simply a lie.
Thank goodness we have the saints to show us the myriad of ways to live a holy life for Jesus. There is no one way to be a holy Catholic woman. The saints show us that you might be a military leader, a queen, an illiterate peasant, a mother of many or of few, a wife, a nun, among other things and live out your Catholic faith heroically.
Sometimes we make the mistake of idolizing certain things–good things! And then we treat those good things as if they’re the ONLY things a Catholic woman can do.
Here’s a few things you don’t have to do to be a holy Catholic woman:
Breastfeed your kids. I think breastfeeding is great, after a traumatic nursing experience with my first baby, I was able to really love nursing my daughters and even practiced extended breastfeeding until my youngest was almost three. But I wasn’t any holier by breastfeeding my daughters after bottle-feeding my son. St. Zelie Martin didn’t breastfeed any of her children. And you know what, breastfeeding has never and will never be a requirement for being a good Catholic.
Dress femininely. Skirts and dresses are lovely. I like wearing ‘em! I also like a good pair of PANTS. And hey, that’s ok! You wanna wear flowy skirts? More power to ya! You wanna wear jeans everyday? No problem. There’s no official Catholic dress code, but occasionally you do run into certain circles that hyper-focus on women’s clothing which I think is a big mistake. You know who got criticized for not dressing femininely enough? St. Joan of Arc. I doubt it bothered her too much since she was pretty busy commanding armies.
Be married to a Catholic. Interfaith marriages can be hard. There are certainly many advantages to marrying a fellow Catholic and I will encourage my kids to consider them when looking for a spouse. But guess what! You can be a holy Catholic woman married to a non-Catholic. St. Monica, mother of St. Augustine of Hippo married to a Roman pagan. It wasn’t always easy but she was so holy that he decided he wanted to be Catholic, too.
Never experience depression. I think there’s a very dangerous idea that circulates in religious circles that unless you’re a bundle of joy at all times, there’s something spiritually wrong with you. But this is simply false. Consider the great saints that experience severe depression and “dark nights of the soul” like St. John of the Cross! And newly canonized St. Teresa of Calcutta suffered from depression and feelings of distance from God for the last 50 years of her life. Suffering from depression doesn’t mean you’re not a good Catholic, but it might mean that you need to talk to someone who can help.
Focus 100% of your time on your kids and don’t work. Good moms stay home with their kids, right? Wrong. Good moms do what’s best for their families. There’s not one way to be a good Catholic mom. St. Zelie Martin was a business woman and she raised St. Therese, one of the most powerful saints of modern times. So apparently being a working mom worked out just fine for her. Do what’s best for your family.
Homeschool or send your kids to Catholic school. I’m obviously a big fan of homeschooling or else I wouldn’t do it. I also think there’s a lot of great Catholic schools out there. But sending your kids to school, even a non-religious school doesn’t result in getting your good Catholic card revoked. St. Monica sent St. Augustine of Hippo to be educated in classical Roman schools and by Latin tutors. You’ve got options, ladies.
Be meek and mild. Maybe you have a big personality. Does you need to keep quiet and hold it all in to be holy? While having control of one’s tongue and temper is a very important thing for any Catholic, if you’re not naturally meek and mild it won’t prevent you from being holy. Just think about St. Teresa of Calcutta’s speech at the National Prayer Breakfast in 1994. Speaking out against abortion in front abortion activists was a pretty fierce move. But she didn’t hold her tongue, she spoke the truth. And it wasn’t remotely mild, either.
Be well-read. To be holy, you should be an intellectual who has read all the most important books about the saints and Catholic teaching, right? Mmmm, no. While educating ourselves about our faith and deepening our spiritual life through reading religious texts is very important, you don’t need to be an intellectual to be holy. Just think about St. Bernadette. She was an illiterate peasant. And fiery St. Catherine of Siena was also illiterate for much of her life (until God gave her a miraculous gift of literacy). If you’re not bookish, it doesn’t mean you can’t be holy.
Love saying the Rosary. Guess who didn’t love praying the Rosary! St. Therese of Lisieux. That’s right. The Little Flower loved Our Lady but had a really hard time getting into the Rosary. So there’s hope for all of us! The Church offers us so many beautiful devotions. We’re going to connect with some of them more than others. And that’s ok because we’re all different! God can handle that.
Get married young. Not everyone has to get married by 20. There’s nothing holier about marrying young. St. Gianna Molla married when she was 33, after she’d been practicing Pediatrics for several years. 33 isn’t ancient by any stretch of the imagination, but St. Gianna’s story reminds us that there isn’t a magical order of marriage, career, etc that Catholic women have to follow. In fact, to be a good Catholic woman, you don’t HAVE to get married at all. You could choose a different vocation!
My intention in this post isn’t to minimize the importance of the decisions women make regarding marriage, motherhood, work, etc. These decisions are a big deal and are made after much consideration and prayer. But we must remember that Catholic life is full of freedom. God takes YOU into account. Your unique situation, gifts, and passions. Just because your life doesn’t fit into a certain box doesn’t mean you’re not living a holy life. The saints show us the beauty of how different lives show Christ’s love, even if it’s completely counter-cultural and unconventional.
YES!!!!!!!!!!!!! I can’t like this post enough! It is always important to, as my husband says, “Be as generous as the Church is generous.” And when we really think about the Church is much more generous with things than we tend to give her credit for.
I love this, Bethany! Your husband sounds like a gem.
Thanks so much for this reminder, Haley!
Wonderful post Haley! Thank you for showing how beautiful the Church is with every kind of individual!
Love this! As a sometimes-loud-mouthed, rosary-impaired mom of three private school educated kids, I can relate! (Oh, and I love jeans and hubby isn’t Catholic!)
Great post, Haley! This is wonderful!
Haley this is awesome!!! I really relate/appreciate the one on being meek/mild…I used to have the impression that it was better to be quiet, but now I have embraced my loud personality seeing it is a part of me that God can use:)
Great post!
PS LOVED the most recent podcast episode…I have been playing catch over August 😉
So glad you’re enjoying the podcast, Patty!
Loved this. I’m a Catholic from birth and I still come up with these questions. Thank you
I used to think I had to dress like a dork, as if wearing long skirts and turtlenecks was some kind of modest badge of honor. Not anymore!
I disagree about marrying a non-Catholic, though. Yes, of course it is possible to be a good Catholic in a mixed marriage, but I would never advise someone to do it. I don’t think St. Monica is a good example–she almost certainly had no choice in whom she married, and her husband was a trial to her for many years. In every mixed marriage I know of, there are huge conflicts about the children’s upbringing. It is all too easy for rebellious teens to side with the non-Catholic parent when they want to reject the church. When there is so much hostility to the faith in the outside world, I think it is vitally important for parents to be united in the faith.
You should read the secret diary of Elizabeth Lisieux. She isn’t a saint, but a beautiful example of the fruit of an interreligious marriage.
Hi Maggie!
My point in this post isn’t whether interfaith marriage is prudent or advisable but that you can still be a holy Catholic woman regardless of whether your spouse is Catholic. (Commenter Dixie gave a great response a few comments before while I was traveling yesterday!) I completely agree on the challenges and difficulties of interfaith marriages, especially when raising children.
Maggie you are very right about the potential conflicts raising our little future saints in a mixed marriage. Though my wife was Catholic when we married- indeed even past when we baptized our youngest, all three kids now prefer to go with mom to the protestant church she attends because” its less boring” “they don’t have to kneel dad” and “they sing more songs”. I have all but given up on any of them attending mass unless/ until our dear Lord leads them back. Hopefully I will get to see that. Anyway raising kids in a mixed marriageis tough but not all marriages that start one way will stay on that course. I still consider myself to be a good Catholic sinner and I’ll continue to do all I can to lead myself and my little family closer to our loving and gracious God… with His help of course.
Maggie, I totally agree with you.
YOU may be able to preserve your Catholicism when married to a non-Catholic (or even a non-Christian)…. but your kids (studies show) probably won’t be Catholic.
Elizabeth Leseux never had children with her husband, so I discount that as an example of a mixed marriage that went well for the children.
Everything else in the post…. RIGHT ON!
Seriously so good!!
Thank you, thank you, thank you!
I too have very few Catholic friends, and those I do have all use artificial contraception. So the only “examples” I have of Catholic moms walking in my shoes are these very lovely women who write blogs, none of whom I’ve met in real life.
And while they seem like fabulous people and are often full of great ideas I can adopt or modify, I have zero interest in running a one-room schoolhouse from my home, or wearing a skirt(?!) every day while I play with my babies and toddlers on the floor. (Catholic Modesty for me includes not accidentally showing the world my underwear multiple times a day!)
So, on a related note, can anybody direct me to an active blog or message board for working Catholic moms? Bonus points if’s a working Catholic mom who likes pants, is a failure at NFP, has a gaggle of “unplanned” children, sends them to (gasp!) public school, struggles to find CCD classes that start after 6pm, is happily married to a mainline Protestant, and must feed a large family only gluten-free food on a shoestring. TIA! 😉
There is a Facebook group called Catholic Working Moms that you might like!
leelafish.com. She has 4 or 5 kids, works outside the home, and sends the kids to school (not sure public or private). Also a set of twins. Hilarious stories about the kids’ antics, and just a very honest picture of life in a large, young family.
I Love Simcha Fisher 🙂 She fits quite a few of your descriptions. Also her book “A sinners guide to NFP” sounds like something you’d enjoy. It’s a lovely book.
Thanks to all 3 of you for the great suggestions! I have been reading and enjoying Simcha Fisher for a little while now. She is hilarious! I will check out the other two suggestions too.
I’m working Catholic mom who sends my kids to public school! I’ve got a little blog I write in every once in a while if you’re interested – I even wrote a piece specifically on some of the issues of being a working Catholic mom. http://sarahrosessupposes.blogspot.com/2015/04/saint-gianna-molla-working-catholic-mom.html
There is also a blog called “The Working Catholic Mom” http://www.theworkingcatholicmom.com/
As well as “8 Kids and a Business”
https://8kidsandabusiness.wordpress.com/
And if it makes anyone out there feel better, I know quite a few people who have become priests, are currently in seminary, or have become nuns, and they all attended public school! Proof that it’s possible! 🙂
Good points; but I really, REALLY have some problems with the mixed marriage comment… I grew up in a mixed marriage, and the pain and isolation my mother suffered probably did make her a” holy Catholic woman”. My dad and us kids suffered a lot too. A difference of religion one of the top five reasons for divorce and strife in marriage. Please, do more than just “encourage”. It’s not a thing to take lightly, even in a light-hearted post. :’-(
Hi Lorelei!
Commenter Dixie responded while I was traveling yesterday and her response is so good that I’m going to paste it here since she took the words right out of my mouth 🙂
“On the question of marriage: I think the point Haley is trying to make is that marrying a Catholic is not a requirement for a holy life, not that it is not good (or even in many cases objectively wiser) to seek to marry a Catholic.
We can disagree about the wisdom and prudence of any given choice but the fact remains that some things are “required” and some are not, and it is not up to us to make up rules for other adults about those which are not.
My concern, and I think Haley’s, is the tendency of some Catholics to confuse the prudential with the required and to put undue pressure on other people to conform to a set of rules that are in fact just prudential judgments or even matters dictated by circumstance. It’s a version of scrupulosity that can deeply harm and alienate others.
Can you, for example, be a holy Catholic woman while deliberately and unrepentantly refusing, without an acceptable reason (bedridden, for example!) to attend weekly Sunday Mass? No — we are told by the Church that this is a mortal sin. Can you, however, be a holy Catholic woman while not wearing a mantilla, or receiving on the hand, or working outside the home, or (licitly) not having children, or not attending Mass the weekend after you give birth? Yes! These things are *not sinful.* We should advise each other as best we can, but we should not make demands beyond those made by the Church.”
I think a better way of phrasing the “Marry a Catholic” phrase would be to say “Be Married to a Catholic” That is different from saying “Marry a Catholic”. One implies a current state of being while one implies a future action. Of course it is possible to be holy if one is married to a non-Catholic. In fact, that may very well be one’s path to holiness. However, if a person is not already married, it may or may not be a sin for that person to marry a non-Catholic. It is something they wold have to discern with a good spiritual director and would have to take into account their potential spouse’s openess to children, willingness to follow the chruch’s rules on contraception, willingness to raise Children in the Catholic faith, etc., etc. etc. A non-married person should think long and hard before marrying a non-Catholic, but this doesn’t mean that an already married person who is in an interfaith marriage can’t be holy.
Good call, Amelia! I think I actually wrote that in my draft and then changed it so it was less wordy but I should have kept it that way. That does clarify it. Thanks for the good suggestion!
Haley, really nice piece! Always nice to be reminded how unique the Saints were and we’re called to be saints in a way that is unique to us!
Amen! Whatever the type of flower, it still brings beauty to the garden. 🙂
I am so glad to see this being discussed!
On the question of marriage: I think the point Haley is trying to make is that marrying a Catholic is not a requirement for a holy life, not that it is not good (or even in many cases objectively wiser) to seek to marry a Catholic.
We can disagree about the wisdom and prudence of any given choice but the fact remains that some things are “required” and some are not, and it is not up to us to make up rules for other adults about those which are not.
My concern, and I think Haley’s, is the tendency of some Catholics to confuse the prudential with the required and to put undue pressure on other people to conform to a set of rules that are in fact just prudential judgments or even matters dictated by circumstance. It’s a version of scrupulosity that can deeply harm and alienate others.
Can you, for example, be a holy Catholic woman while deliberately and unrepentantly refusing, without an acceptable reason (bedridden, for example!) to attend weekly Sunday Mass? No — we are told by the Church that this is a mortal sin. Can you, however, be a holy Catholic woman while not wearing a mantilla, or receiving on the hand, or working outside the home, or (licitly) not having children, or not attending Mass the weekend after you give birth? Yes! These things are *not sinful.* We should advise each other as best we can, but we should not make demands beyond those made by the Church.
Hi Dixie!
I was traveling yesterday and I’m so glad you commented while I was without wifi. I couldn’t have said it better!
I was so glad to see you write about this, Haley!
Love. The timing of this post couldn’t be better. Thank you for reminding that it is for freedom that Christ set us free!
Love, love, love!
Thank you from my heart
I think this is my favorite thing you’ve ever written, and that’s saying something. So very much needed. Thank you!
Aw, thanks, MamaRoode!
Perfectly timed post. Thank you for giving us real world, saintly examples of the many different ways to be a holy Catholic woman!
Love this! I can remember reading things in the last few years and think, man I’m not a good catholic because of everything in this post. I’ll be 31 when I get married and that’s okay it’s all in gods plan.
Ha! Typical marriage bias. The only vocations are religious life or marriage. Perhaps a very rare few are called to be consecrated singles. Being single is a state of life, NOT a vocation. But of course this is all about married women, with 1 teeny line about not having to get married to be a holy Catholic woman. St. Paul said it’s better to be single, anyway, because then you put God first instead of your spouse, which really means being married means you’re less likely to be holy in some ways (how many single saints v. how many married/with kids?). #truefacts You can still be a holy Catholic woman if you’re married and have no kids. One’s holiness is not determined by marital status, fertility, location on earth, job, earnings, hair color, favorite pizza toppings, where you went to school, or anything. What matters is saying yes to God and trying to live a faithful Catholic life. We would all benefit from being more loving and inclusive to people regardless of their marital status.
India, this is not “all about married women.” 5/10 of these applied to single women. And six of the saints I mention as models for holy life were unmarried. That’s MORE than half. Since this is your first time commenting here, you might not realize that we use a charitable tone here even when we disagree. Please remember that for future comments. Thanks!
I don’t post here often either, and I don’t know India, but I sense a lot of pain in this comment. I was single for a long time before I married, and it was a pretty lonely and frustrating time for me. The pain was in large part because I *didn’t know* whether I was being called to a vocation as a single person, and therefore should dig into ambitious career plans, full-hog, or whether I just hadn’t found my future spouse yet, and should leave a window open in my life for marriage and family. I recall months of going to Mass in the city and not seeing a single man in attendance. I recall joining Bible groups and rosary groups filled with lovely white-haired widows, but no men and certainly nobody my age. I know other women who purposely planned “flexible” careers that left room for child-rearing, only to find that the opportunity for children never came for them, either because they never married or because they struggled with infertility or pregnancy loss. I’ve seen blog comments from single Catholic women saying they stopped going to women’s “fellowship” retreats because everything was geared toward parenting, and there was nothing there for them. There DOES need to be more support and fellowship for single Catholics, and I hope we can all do more to help with that. And, if I’m reading her comment correctly, I hope India finds some peace and comfort soon!
As a middle-aged woman who is single — divorced/annulled — thanks for this comment, Lisa. I don’t even need things geared solely toward singles necessarily, since I’m not looking to remarry, but it can get tiring and depressing sometimes to be in a state of life for which there seems to be no Catholic niche. (Actually, there aren’t many niches at all for 49-year-old single women, but as an introverted bookworm I’m usually okay with it.) It’s tough sometimes when things that seem to be marital-status/maternal-status neutral are during the day (for retirees, I guess) and things that are on weekends tend to be more family-oriented. I get why they do the family stuff on weekends, but maybe some things geared toward adults then would help. I don’t know…I have no plan, only a sense of discomfort.
Great post Haley, thank you. I sometimes myself think that, gosh, who am I to write and talk about holy things while feeling that certain treasured Catholic devotions which I know are beautiful and lovely and helpful are as attractive to me as sitting down to hungry to a dinner of a mountain of dry-as-dust mashed pototo?
And then there’s the whole issue that some of the great and holy standards I had set myself for parenting have been smashed beyond repair by my real-life wonderful and willful and non-imaginary children.
And yes, it is hard, very hard to become holy – whatever our path looks like – and will involve much pain as God works on us and our families and friends. God help us to keep some lightheartedness through all!
I saw the funniest meme, Marilyn with a toddler and mom saying, “If you were only different, I could be the perfect mother.” LOL I think I’ve thought exactly the same thing about my strong-willed kiddos before realizing how silly that is, haha.
🙂
Thank you for writing this. I love all things Charlotte Mason/ Classical/ Literature based homeschooling. I’m not a fan of the common core public school land. But I have an autoimmune disease that makes me a hot postpartum mess. After baby #4 and the hot summer, I just needed a break. The stress of everyone together all.the.time plus sharing a vehicle was driving me to the edge. I swallowed my pride and put my preferences on the shelf and decided to let my oldest two try public school for this school year. (Can’t afford private and the closest catholic schools are an hour away.) I was worried it was a mortal sin because I had read that somewhere online. (Convert problems…overly traditionalist websites can be confusing and it’s hard to know who is telling the truth!) We were thankful to determine that was not the case! Anyways, this is encouraging, so thank you.
Yes, thank you! Very good post! That was my mistake too,. I was sure that I should wear long skirts only :):) fortunately it was long long time ago. Now I know it doesn’t matter how do you dress but who you are and how you treat other people.
So good!! The best part of this list is that it’s goal is to make every personality and talents valuable at the table. The eye can not say to the hand I do not need you…
A few more to add to the list… Be crafty, veil at church, cook dinner every night, be free of questions or concerns ect…
Great piece. Thank you. I’m sure you know it, but you are a real gift to anyone new to the Faith. I rarely have two hands to comment as often as I want to but I my comments are basically the same message: your work is appreciated. xo.
Thanks Haley! I am a cradle Catholic but married to a man who is not Catholic. However, we have many similar views on raising children, and of course he had no problem getting married in a Catholic Church or agreeing that we would raise our children Catholic. He is a man of faith, but no specific Church. I really wish people would be quiet and stop being judgmental on the subject of mixed marriages. If they were so terrible, the Church would not allow them AND IT DOES (as long as the person is a baptized Christian). So thank you thank you for writing this post!
I’m in the same boat as you Erin, and I agree completely!
Hello,
I feel called to respectfully disagree with much of in this blog.
Just because something isn’t an absolute requirement of our faith for all people, does not mean that it is not BEST, or required of us personally.
For example, if I know that breastfeeding is the healthiest choice for my child, and I am not prohibited by having to work or for medical or other serious reasons, and chose to feed formula because I simply didn’t want to breastfeed- that would be sinful for me.
In dressing, there are many feminine clothes that are both practical- such as jeans, and modest. Some prefer skirts, some not. But the guiding principle of femininity and modesty still apply. Of course there are exceptions, but if I choose to dress as a man, without good reason (like St. Joan of Arc had), I am not expressing the femininity that God gave me to the world, but rather concealing it. This doesn’t seem wise.
No-one chooses their vocation- that is why it is called a CALLING. God has a plan. If we are deciding merely based on our own preferences, that is also a problem. God calls us to marriage or to the consecrated life. Either way, we are called to serve.
If I can provide my children with a superior education at home- both spiritually and intellectually, but I choose to send them to public school because I would rather have my days free to work out and shop, I am probably not going to be living God’s plan for my life.
There is certainly a point to be made about not judging- don’t judge the mom who can’t breastfeed, the mom who has to work to support her family, the mom for whom homeschooling would be an overwhelming and psychologically unhealthy proposition. Don’t judge the single mom, or the mom in a mixed marriage who prays for her children to have the grace to see through the confusion that it can create.
But, that doesn’t mean we should stop talking about what is the norm- what is prudent and best and leads to women and children thriving MOST of the time. Of course we can also talk about grace, and how God can provide in even the most challenging situations.
The bottom line is, very few things in the spiritual life are about “because I WANT to..” That is why we pray “Thy will be done”.
Thank you. Well said.
Nice article but one little thing – Zelie Martin did not raise St Therese, she died of breast cancer when Therese was only 4. St Terese was raised by her Father, her sisters and other family. However all 5 of the Martin sisters entered the convent and Leonie, who was 9 years older than Therese, has been declared a Servant of God. Not too shabby!
We just had a speaker at a women’s conference who wrote a book about St. Therese (Connie Rossini) and yes her mom did die when she was young… but she could not breast feed do to an injury in her breast. They had to find a wet nurse for Therese… and it was very difficult. Anyway, I think I remember the story correctly….it was an interesting story that helped put things in perspective. I am not able to breastfeed, and could understand her plight (just a little) but was obviously I am so lucky to live in an age of formula and not finding a wet nurse. I love St. Therese (feast day coming up) and loved reading more about her family.
And can we please add…TEACH YOUR KIDS LATIN!
Thank you so much for writing this post. As a new SAHM I don’t always feel like a blogworthy Catholic mom. I never breastfed, I’m definitely a big personality, and I often forget to do nightly prayers with my 1 year old, but I’m still trying to strive for holiness in the little things each day. This encouragement was much needed!
I don’t really disagree with anything in this post, but I feel very sad that you had to write it and that it resonates so deeply with so many people. The Church is not the blog world. It is something both more concrete and mysterious: incarnated in the local church and stretched throughout the ages, such as in the examples of the saints you pulled out. I pray that everyone is able to find examples of good, holy, Catholic women in real life and the life of the saints (Butler’s Lives of the Saints is perfect breakfast reading- most entries are very short and possible to read amidst getting up ten times to help children), instead of being limited by the type of Catholic moms who blog.
Thank you for writing this! It spoke very loudly to me, especially the part about marrying a Catholic. Being married to a non-Catholic, I sometimes feel like I am “less Catholic” than those married to a Catholic, even though I am practicing, and raising my son Catholic. This is exactly what I needed to hear, and a good reminder of what is really expected of us.
Haley, this is a great post (and turning 31). I think the two go hand in hand. With age, comes wisdom. I know as I have grown older (now 37) and had more kids (now 5)…over the years I have met a variety of awesome moms….who all do things differently.. and I have really benefited from and enjoyed having friendships with lots of different Catholic women. And over the years, I have become less judgmental and also easier on myself. We are all just doing our best here and trying to grow closer to the Lord. 🙂 I really enjoy your blog.
I just love this post so much, I keep reading it over and over!
As Catholic women it is SO important that we can accept each other: all our different choices and personalities, without judging “who’s the better Catholic” because we do/don’t do these things!
Loved this so so much!!!
So you can’t be holy and use artifical contraception? I see that’s left out. The vast majority of Catholic women that surround you at Mass use artificial contraception. I guess it’s too bad that in your world, they can’t be “holy.” So, YES, this is a very judgmental post.
Clara, the Church’s Catechism (the actual book of Catholic teachings and rules) teaches that artificial contraception is wrong. Catholics are to follow Catholic teachings. Unfortunately, there are many Catholics who do not follow this teaching. “Theology of the Body” explains the reasoning that Artificial Contraception is not allowed and Catholic Answers on Catholic radio also can answer any questions you have. Everything she posted is talking about common misconceptions, but not specific wrongs identified in the Catechism. For a Catholic not to follow the catechism is the same as for a “Vegetarian” to eat meat. Simply does not go together. And claiming this is a judgmental post is a judgement in itself. People accuse others who do not agree with them as judgmental as a bullying tactic, without realizing that that accusation in itself is a judgment.
Thank you thank you thank you! The best one that I am dealing with is the hypersensitive group that is all about wearing dresses. I thought of St. Joan of Arc too and Mother Theresa of Calcutta who was criticized for wearing the Indian attire! Just had a hard day with it and your post was an answer from God. Thank you.
I seriously love this post!
I love this post but I disagree with your comment that we don’t have to be meek. Jesus himself calls us to be meek – it’s one of the beatitudes (Matthew 5:5). While I agree that we shouldn’t be doormats I also know that being calm and keeping your emotions under control is vital to being a follower of Christ.
Ladies we don’t have to look like we crawled out from under a rock.
Be meek and mild really? Everyone needs to grow a pair. No raising wall flowers.
Get married young..HAHAHA never
Focus 100% time and attention on kids…time to wake up ladies.
Dress femininely. I can wear a mini skirt, stilettos and makeup all while being a Catholic Mom!!!
I just found this post and I LOVE it! Thank you for busting the stereotypes!
I can’t thank you enough! I am a revert, and my faith is the single most important thing in my life.
THAT said, on returning I’m so sick of hearing that my only one true calling is to be a mother, even as a single woman, babies and nurturing are intrinsic to who I am as a woman. To me this ideology continues to cut through the heart of who I am, and in your last paragraph where you mention God having a plan for each of us, I felt like there was actually truth in that. Not a cookie cutter woman but a unique soul that God created and continues to form.
I really appreciate your words here, they’re calming a world of pain.
Thank you.
I just stumbled across this page on Pinterest. This post is GOLD. I feel like the rest of the world views people who take their faith seriously, particularly Catholics, as lame and weird. People need to start seeing that Catholics are one big family made of a bunch of vibrant, colorful personalities. A life lived with God is one of surprises and adventure! Love this post. A breath of fresh air
Hi Hayley!
This is amazing! I’m a Catholic myself and it’s nice to get more insights from another Catholic. Thank you for this amazing post. I’m trying to be a better Catholic myself and in the same time being true to who I really am as a Catholic woman, and your post was truly an eye opener.