Join Annie and Hailey as they further explore the profound vocation of motherhood. This week, they talk about mothers as the heart of the home, and how the feminine genius shapes our families and domestic churches. Discover how your virtues (and vices), prayer, and self-gift transform everyday life into a sacred act of service and love, inspired by Mary, along with  Sts. Pope John Paul II, Mother Teresa, and Elizabeth Ann Seton.

• The significance of Mary as the heart of Christ’s earthly home and ours
• The distinct seasons of motherhood demonstrated through Mary, Joseph, and John
• How women’s unique gifts foster a nurturing and relational environment
• Practical ways to cultivate virtues like patience, joy, and peace in the home
• The concept of the domestic church and the power of prayer in daily life
• Embracing our identity as queen and servant through love and self-gift

• Motherhood, An Extraordinary Vocation by Dr. Rombs
• Letter to Women by St. John Paul II
• Dignity of Woman by St. John Paul II
• The Theology of Home

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02:54 - The reflections on Joseph’s and John’s homes with Mary at the center

06:06 - The safe and loving home Mary creates in every season

07:20 - Our call to bring Christ into the heart of our homes

08:53 - St. John Paul II on feminine genius and self-gift

11:33 - The physical and relational aspects of being the heart of the home

13:44 - The importance of nurturing virtue and environment in everyday life

15:41 - Embracing the beauty and significance of women’s inherent gifts

16:45 - Motherhood and the deep, spiritual vocation beyond reproductive capacity

17:41 - The example of Mother Teresa

19:07 - The sacredness of being needed

22:40 - How our virtues influence the culture of our homes

23:16 - The story of Elizabeth Ann Seton

26:17 - Transforming hardships into a place of domestic beauty and peace

28:30 - Focusing on virtues that align with our strengths

33:13 - Prayer and daily sacrifice as the heart of the domestic church 

34:49 - Personal stories of exhaustion

36:40 - Mary as model for service, obedience, and reign through love

38:01 - Embracing our role as queen-mother of our families

39:05 - Resting in the love of Jesus to sustain us as the heart of our home

Key Topics:

• Holy Week and how to enter into its mysteries amid daily chaos
• The analogy of childbirth as a symbol of suffering and salvation, as expressed through Scripture
• Mary’s presence at the foot of the Cross and her role as model for mothers enduring suffering
• The connection between the Annunciation and the foot of the Cross, highlighting God's plan in creation and salvation history
• Practical ways to observe Holy Week in family life
• The significance of Holy Saturday as a day of silent reflection and victory over darkness
• How suffering in motherhood reflects Christ’s redemptive love and teaches children to suffer with purpose

Resources & Links:

• Catechism of the Catholic Church - 964: https://www.vatican.va/archive/catechism/index.htm
• Fulton Sheen’s reflections on the Passion: http://catholicsaints.mobi/ebooks/book-articles/seven-last-words-by-venerable-fulton-sheen.htm
• Scripture References: Luke 1:26-38, John 19:25-27, Matthew 26:26-29

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Timestamps:

00:00 - Introduction: Holy Week and motherhood amid life's obstacles

00:42 - Mary’s journey from Annunciation to the Passion - living in two sacred spaces

03:16 - Jesus’ analogy of labor pains and suffering during the Last Supper

04:42 - The promise of joy emerging through suffering, as shared by Christ

05:07 - Motherhood as Christ-like suffering leading to new life

10:30 - Entering into Mary’s scene at the foot of the cross: prayer and reflection

14:04 - Eucharistic nature of motherhood

17:01 - Venerable Fulton Sheen and the “second Annunciation” 

20:44 - Our spiritual inheritance: Mary as Mother to all believers

23:50 - Recognizing the divine esteem for femininity and motherhood in salvation history

24:28 - Holy Week traditions to help families observe and honor the sacred days

31:24 - The hope and victory in Christ’s passion and resurrection—lessons for mothers and children

33:12 - Offering your heart to Christ amid life’s mess and trusting in His love

Thank you for listening! Stay tuned for our Holy Week episodes and more reflections on giving God your fiat in the mess.

The conversation revolves around the theme of surrender in motherhood, particularly in the context of the Feast of the Annunciation. It explores the challenges, joys, and call to surrender in the journey of motherhood, drawing parallels with Mary's fiat at the Annunciation. The discussion reflects on the interruptions, doubts, and fears experienced in motherhood, and the invitation to surrender to God's plan. The conversation explores the journey of motherhood as a profound experience of surrender and fiat, highlighting the mystery and grace of this role. It delves into the Annunciation moments, the journey of surrender and fiat, and the acceptance of God's will in the context of motherhood.

Takeaways

• Surrender in motherhood
• The Annunciation and the theme of surrender Motherhood as a journey of surrender
• The mystery and grace of motherhood

Chapters

• 00:00 The Feast of the Annunciation
• 17:41 The Annunciation and Surrender
• 23:49 Becoming a Mother on My Wedding Day
• 30:54 The Post-Annunciation Journey
• 41:29 The Acceptance of God's Will

Annie and Kathryn are excited to introduce you to Kelsey Gillespy in this season two finale of the Mighty Is Her Call Podcast. Kesley is a mother, athlete and writer. We will discuss her journey of motherhood, particularly how Kelsey found the balance between self-gift and self-care and the ways the Lord revealed more about his love, and love of his Mother, through her journey of motherhood. 

Check out Kelsey's First Book In the Trenches 

Kelsey's New Book, Life With Mary is available here and here. 

Learn more about Kelsey and what she's up to on her website: https://kelseygillespy.com/

Mighty Is Her Call is a Catholic mothers' ministry that encourages women who have embraced the call to openness to life by proclaiming the radically Christ-like nature of motherhood. Visit our website to learn more about our in-person and audio retreats as well as our blog, all created to fortify and encourage you in your daily call to holiness.

https://mightyishercall.com/

Support Mighty Is Her Call

Partner with us as we proclaim the radically Christ-like nature of motherhood and encourage women to continue raising up saints and find peace and joy on the road to holiness. 

https://mightyishercall.com/support-our-ministry

Today, Annie and Kathryn welcome author, mother, and podcaster, Kimberly Cook. Kimberly grew up formed by the culture and the feminist narrative and did not see motherhood as a worthy life-calling. Now the mother of a large family, she tells us the beautiful story of how God changed her perspective and how her experience of motherhood led her to write Motherhood Redeemed. We discuss this beautiful work, which reminds us that the true nature of womanhood is maternal and inseparable from self-gift. We know you will love this episode! 

Learn more about Kimberly on her website: https://kimberlycook.me/

Kimberly's Book: Motherhood Redeemed 

Podcast Episode with Alice Von Hildebrand

Check out Kimberly's book for middle-aged children: The Adventures of Lily Creek

Mighty Is Her Call is a Catholic mothers' ministry that encourages women who have embraced the call to openness to life by proclaiming the radically Christ-like nature of motherhood. Visit our website to learn more about our in-person and audio retreats as well as our blog, all created to fortify and encourage you in your daily call to holiness.

https://mightyishercall.com/

Support Mighty Is Her Call

Partner with us as we proclaim the radically Christ-like nature of motherhood and encourage women to continue raising up saints and find peace and joy on the road to holiness. 

https://mightyishercall.com/support-our-ministry

Annie and Kathryn are thrilled to introduce you to mother and author, Catherine Pakaluk on today's podcast. We know you will be inspired by Catherine's story of "instant motherhood," becoming a mom to six (grieving) children on her wedding day. She is now mother to 13 beautiful children, an Economics professor at Catholic University of America, and the author of the very important work: Hannah's Children: The Women Quietly Defying the Birth Dearth. In this longer-than-usual episode, you will hear Catherine's unique story as we dive into her fascinating work. You will get a glimpse into the discoveries of her groundbreaking research, asking the question: "In a world where more and more women are choosing not to have any children, why do some women choose to have many?" You will be blessed by this book and this conversation; you don't want to miss it! 

Buy Catherine's Book: Hannah's Children: The Women Quietly Defying the Birth Dearth https://a.co/d/0gl8kYBb

Mighty Is Her Call is a Catholic mothers' ministry that encourages women who have embraced the call to openness to life by proclaiming the radically Christ-like nature of motherhood. Visit our website to learn more about our in-person and audio retreats as well as our blog, all created to fortify and encourage you in your daily call to holiness.

https://mightyishercall.com/

Support Mighty Is Her Call

Partner with us as we proclaim the radically Christ-like nature of motherhood and encourage women to continue raising up saints and find peace and joy on the road to holiness. 

https://mightyishercall.com/support-our-ministry

Today on the Mighty Is Her Call Podcast, Annie and Kathryn are very happy to introduce you to their dear friend, Emily Glicksman. Emily comes from a large family and imagined her family would look very similar to her family of origin, but as is often the case, God's plans for her and her family were different. In all the ups and downs of longing and expectation, Emily's faith has been the rock and comfort of her life that has led her to see her family, although smaller than she imagined, as "an embarrassment of riches." 

Scripture References: Psalm 23; 2 Corinthians 12:9 

Prayer of St. Irenaues

It is not thou that shapest God

it is God that shapest thee.

If thou art the work of God

await the hand of the artist

who does all things in due season.

Offer Him thy heart,

soft and tractable,

and keep the form

in which the artist has fashioned thee.

Let thy clay be moist,

lest thou grow hard

and lose the imprint of his fingers.

- St. Irenaeus

Today on the Mighty Is Her Call Podcast, Annie and Kathryn introduce you to Thu-Lan Andrews. Thu-Lan's story begins in Vietnam as an only child in a military family. Her mother's curiosity about the faith led to the family's conversion, and when Thu-Lan was ten, they moved to America. Thu-Lan's rebel spirit led to her fearless acceptance of the vocation of motherhood, even when it meant defying the tradition and the wishes of her family.  Today she shares her story about the joys and surprises of being a mother of ten.

Today on the Mighty Is Her Call Podcast, Annie and Kathryn are excited to introduce you to Dr. Emily Heyne. Emily's story begins with conversion to the Catholic faith where she embraced the Church's teaching on openness to life only to then carry the heavy cross of infertility. Her story is one of beautiful faith, hope, and wisdom, and mirrors many of the heroic matriarchs of Scripture who drew close to the Lord as they waited for the children they longed for. We know her story will bless everyone who listens.

The Interior Castle, by St. Teresa of Avila 

Mighty Is Her Call is a Catholic mothers' ministry that encourages women who have embraced the call to openness to life by proclaiming the radically Christ-like nature of motherhood. Visit our website to learn more about our in-person and audio retreats as well as our blog, all created to fortify and encourage you in your daily call to holiness.

https://mightyishercall.com/

Support Mighty Is Her Call

Partner with us as we proclaim the radically Christ-like nature of motherhood and encourage women to continue raising up saints and find peace and joy on the road to holiness. 

https://mightyishercall.com/support-our-ministry

Today on the Mighty Is Her Call Podcast, Annie and Kathryn can't wait for you to meet Susanna VanVickle. Susanna has a beautiful story of expectation and surrender. Susanna grew up as a missionary and had always envisioned that legacy would continue in her own family. She shares all the ways the Lord has ministered to her missionary heart, even when things have looked very different than she imagined. You are going to love Susanna's story! 

Susanna's post referenced in the episode

https://mightyishercall.com/missions-and-motherhood/ 

Learn more about the Family Missions Company that Susanna grew up with

https://www.familymissionscompany.com/