Learning to Flourish Podcast

As seasons change around us we recognize a change in ourselves. We have different seasons of life much like our environment around us but not as predictable.

You may have heard the phrase - the grass is greener on the other side

We take that phrase and apply it to seasons of our lives except we take a better version - the grass is greener where you water it

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Today on The Assumption of Mary, Anne Marie Stroud and I talk about how Mary can be our example and friend in the every day!

Our guest:

Anne Marie Stroud is a Catholic wife & mother, writer, & speaker. She's passionate about the transformative intimacy with Jesus that changes everything. She's spoken to groups of hundreds & written for prominent Catholic blogs, such as Blessed Is She & The Young Catholic Woman. You can connect with her on Instagram (@thecatholichypewoman) or her blog (https://thecatholichypewoman.wordpress.com/).

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Tomorrow is the feast of St. Edith Stein! Also known as St. Teresa Benedicta of the Cross 

St. Edith Stein is a personal saint friend of mine and also one of the patron saints of The BLVED Collective. I chose her to be one of the patrons because I have been formed through her writings on femininity and she’s really been an influential thinker on those topics for the church. I see my work, not as so new and different, but really sharing the work of those who came before me who were much smarter and closer to the Lord. I simply am handing on what I have been given, either through the thoughts of others or from my walk with the Lord Himself. St. Edith Stein is one of those saints who I really want to hand on her work. 

If you have followed along with The BLVED Collective for any amount of time you’ll know that I love to launch new things, open enrollment, and announce things on Saint’s feasts days. And you better believe that I save some really exciting things for our patron saint’s feast days! So tomorrow on the feast of St. Edith Stein we are officially opening our BLVED CO shop! A physical product shop filled with intentionally curated products to aid you in becoming a saint today and prepare you well for your future. 

Let’s talk about the products launching tomorrow. 

First up are note cards! I love getting real mail in the mail. Letters are some of my favorite things and in todays world with how lonely we can feel, I am excited to now offer beautiful notecards that you can use to write to those you love. Community is so darn important but the reality is is that we have people we love spread all over the country or even all over the world that we’d love to stay in touch with and writing a letter is the perfect way to do that when you can’t show up at their door in person. Or even to the friend down the street you can write a note that tells them how much you appreciate their friendship and drop it off in person, or mail it to their house - who doesn’t love getting a good ole fashioned letter? 

Then are the note pads! Gosh I am excited about these! Who doesn’t love lists? I haven’t met anyone that I can think of who doesn’t love or want or need to make a list ever - so I created a minimal list notepad. With 50 sheets this note pad will last through 22 weeks of groceries, 7 trips, 18 to do lists, and 3 dream sessions. Or how ever you want to use them. 

And last but not least, we have the weekly planing pad. Also with 50 sheets it will last you just about a year of planning out each week by the day, to do lists, how you will pray, rest, and move that week. And never forgot a feast day again! With a spot to write the feast of the day, you can plan intentionally with the liturgical calendar. I personally have loved planners in the past but they don’t fit my lifestyle at the moment so this weekly pad is perfect for what I need. And I know planners aren’t everyone’s jam so maybe this will be perfect for you as well! 

These are the products I am launching tomorrow, but I have lots more in the works, don’t you worry! I am so thrilled to finally get these out to you so don’t forget to check out the BLVED CO shop tomorrow for its grand opening at theblvedcollective.com

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Caroline Rose Owens is a midwest native who brought her passion for content creation to the nation’s Capitol to work with forward-thinking female entrepreneurs as an Account Manager at RINGLET. 

Caroline’s passion for empowering women goes beyond her 9-5, and is best showcased through her online community and podcast, @shebelievedpodcast, where she aims to inspire, motivate and encourage women to answer their individual callings. She finds great joy in sharing the glory of God through other’s stories and helping women become more fully who they were created to be. 

When she’s not working on client accounts or dreaming about building the She Believed Community, you can find Caroline on a picnic with friends, dancing with her boyfriend, or trying a new recipe. 

Allow Caroline to be your personal cheerleader by following her @carolineroseowens on Instagram.

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@carolineroseowens on IG

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Our 3rd and final episode on Find Your People by Jennie Allen

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@theblvedcollective

Join us for a book study on Jennie Allen's book titled: Find Your People 

July 4th Part 1

July 18th Part 2

July 25th Part 3

We dive into part 2 today

Website: www.theblvedcollective.com

Instagram: @theblvedcollective

Youtube: The BLVED Collective 

Book: Find Your People by Jennie Allen

Join us for a book study on Jennie Allen's book titled: Find Your People

Week 1: July 4th Part 1

Week 2: July 11th Part 2

Week 3: July 18th Part 2

Week 4: July 25th Part 3

We dive into part 1 today

Website: www.theblvedcollective.com

Instagram: @theblvedcollective

Youtube: The BLVED Collective 

Book: Find Your People by Jennie Allen

Dear BLVED, let us pick back up where we left off with John Paul II’s letter to women. 

In this section there are 3 main themes JP II talks about that we will dive into.

1. The basis of the dignity of women

After going through the long history of humanity, John Paul II says that “the secret of making speedy progress in achieving full respect for women and their identity involves more than simply the condemnation of discrimination and injustices, necessary though this may be. Such respect must first and foremost be won though an effective and intelligent campaign for the promotion of women, concentrating on all areas of women’s life and beginning with a universal recognition of the dignity of women.”(6) He mentions that reason and the word of God are what help us understand and grasp the “anthropological basis of the dignity of women, making it evident as a part of God’s plan for humanity.”(6) 

As John Paul II often does, he goes right back to the beginning, with creation. God creates man in His image - this tells us what is distinct about the human being. Then we are told that man was created “male and female” (Gen 1:27). The first man Adam was created but he was alone. “The creation of woman is thus marked from the outset by the principle of help; a help which is not one-sided but mutual. Woman complements man, just as man compliments woman: men and women are complementary. Womanhood expresses the “human” as much as manhood does, but in a different and complementary way.(7) He also mentions that this help, that man is to each other, is not merely acting, but also being. 

The request by God to “fill the earth and subdue it” (Gen 1:28) is spoken to both man and woman. “In this task, which is essentially that of culture, man and woman alike share equal responsibility from the start.”(8) The theme of the upcoming conference on women is “Action for Equality, Development and Peace”(8) and John Paul II says that the progress that has happened is largely by the hands of women. 

2 Progress

Progress, although usually measured according to science and technology, JP II states that the more important measurement should be that of the social and ethical dimension. “In this area, which often develops in an inconspicuous way beginning with the daily relationships between people, especially within the family, society certainly owes much to the ‘genius of women’”.(9) He goes on to share his appreciation for all those women who have dedicated themselves to education in every such way. 

3 Service 

Mary as our example of the genius of woman put herself in God’s service and a the service of others. John Paul II calls this “a service of love”(10) “For her, ‘to reign’ is to serve! Her service is ‘to reign’! This is the way in which authority needs to be understood, both in the family and in society and the Church.”(10)

“In this perspective of ‘service’-which, when it is carried out with freedom, reciprocity and love, expresses the truly ‘royal’ nature of mankind- one can also appreciate that the presence of a certain diversity of roles is in no way prejudicial to women, provided that this diversity is not the result of an arbitrary imposition, but is rather an expression of what is specific to being male and female.”(11) Thus women’s role in the church is not the same as all men, which does not detract from their dignity at all. Rather, it tells of the plan of God in the sacramental economy. There is much to be learned from the Gospel that will make clear this point further, but it in no way hinders women from making a big impact in the Church and in the world. JP II mentions St. Catherine of Siena and St. Teresa of Avila who were instrumental in the life of the Church both institutionally and to the individual members during their lifetimes. 

John Paul II concludes this letter by again stating his hopes for the upcoming conference on women and says: “Necessary emphasis should be placed on the ‘genius of women’, not only by considering great and famous women of the past or present, but also those ordinary women who reveal the gift of their womanhood by placing themselves at the service of others in their everyday lives. For in giving themselves to others each day women fulfill their deepest vocation. Perhaps more than men, women acknowledge the person, because they see persons with their hearts. They see them independently of various ideological or political systems. They see others in their greatness and limitations; they try to go out to them and help them. In this way the basic plan of the creator takes flesh in the history of humanity and there is constantly revealed, in the variety of vocations, that beauty-not merely physical, but above all spiritual-which God bestowed from the very beginning on all, and in a particular way on women.”(12) 

This wraps up our discussion on John Paul II’s Letter to Women. If you liked these ’study’ episodes and would like to see more of them - let me know. And send me a DM, email, or leave a comment if you want to recommend a specific book or writing to study next! 

We are made for community - yet we live in a really lonely culture. Communities have existed since God created Adam and Eve. That was the way that God designed it. But somewhere we got caught up in progress and “making the world a better place” that we actually left what is really important behind. 

It’s important to recognize though, that we are not alone in this struggle. You are not alone in feeling alone. Literally everyone is in the same boat. 

Social media gives the illusion of connection and the occasional real connection and community. Don’t get me wrong it can bring forth really strong community and connection, but that is often the exception, and not the rule. 

This Sunday I heard a homily that really stuck with me on this theme of community. Among other things, he said to have community you need to lead people, you need to follow people, and you need to be walking arm in arm with people. This three fold explanation of community makes total sense! We fall short of even understanding community if we are so focused on only one of these three components.

The homily really helped me see that there are different roles that each of us play. We do not have community when we are only leading. We do not have community when we are only following. We do not have community when we are only walking arm in arm with others. Which is what we normally think of when we think of community. 

We are all at different points in our lives. Even those we are linking arms with can be ahead of us and we can be learning from them as well. It does not have to be so black and white that we can never lead or learn from someone just because that isn’t their “normal” role. That’s the great thing about community, it comes up around each other and gives everyone what they need. 

So I leave you with the question, who are you leading? Who are you following? And who are you linking arms with? 

There is a disparity between the need for community and what is actually happening in the world today. And the only way that is going to change is if we build up our own communities. There is a new book by Jennie Allen called “Find your People”. It’s about the need for community but also the practical implementation that you need to start building community! I have really been enjoying the read and been so inspired to implement these changes in my own life. For the month of July on the podcast we are going to do a book study of this book. I invite you to go get the book, and join us here on the podcast so that we can learn and implement it together. We all need some accountability and what better place than to start building up community?! 

Join me this July reading “Find your people” by Jennie Allen. 

Here is the schedule: 

July 4th - Part 1 We Need Each Other

July 11th - part 2 The Path to Connection, chapters 5&6 Close and Safe

July 18th - Part 2 The Path to Connection, chapters 7-9 Protected, Deep, and Committed

July 25th - Part 3 Fighting for Your Village 

You have two weeks to get the book and read part 1. I can’t wait to grow in this season with you

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Website: https://theblvedcollective.com

Made BLVED: https://theblvedcollective.com/made-blved 

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Youtube: The BLVED Collective 

Welcome to the first ‘study’ episode. My hope for these episodes are that we are able to dive into important works, whether books, letters, or quotes, and discuss them together. 

Up first is John Paul II’s Letter to Women

This letter is often quoted and referred to as an important work of John Paul II and the Church’s approach to women and women’s issues. Let’s dive in to see why.

This letter was written in June of 1995 and was addressed to ‘women throughout the world’. It is the first letter from a pope addressed specifically to women. The occasion for the letter was stated by JP II as being the eve of the United Nations Organization Fourth World Conference on Women. This letter comes after a document that he sent to the Secretary General of the conference stating some basic points of the Church’s teaching regarding women’s issues. 

He now shifts his focus and speaks “directly to every woman” on the topic of “the essential issue of the dignity and rights of women, as seen in the light of the word of God.” And he begins this discussion with a word of thanks. This often quoted part of the letter goes through each category of women and thanks them for their role and the work that they do. 

“Thank you, women who are mothers!… Thank you, women who are wives!… Thank you, women who are daughters and women who are sisters!… Thank you, women who work!… Thank you, consecrated women!… Thank you, every woman, for the simple fact of being a woman!” 

After these deep and concrete thank you’s, he goes on to say that he recognizes that saying thank you is not enough. “Women’s dignity has often been unacknowledged and their prerogatives misrepresented; they have often been relegated to the margins of society and even reduced to servitude. This has prevented women from truly being themselves and it has resulted in a spiritual impoverishment of humanity.” (3) He goes on to say that the Church herself is not entirely faultless in this and apologizes on behalf of the Church and calls for a “renewed commitment of fidelity to the Gospel vision”.(3) Taking Christ and the Gospel as the example. 

Examining the past in order to assign responsibility where it is due, John Paul II goes on to say: “Women have contributed to that history as much as men and, more often than not, they did so in much more difficult conditions. I think particularly of those women who loved culture and art, and devoted their lives to them in spite of the fact that they were frequently at a disadvantage from the start, excluded from equal educational opportunities, underestimated, ignored and not given credit for their intellectual contributions… To this great, immense feminine ‘tradition’ humanity owes a debt which can never be repaid. Yet how many women have been and continue to be valued more for their physical appearance than for their skill, their professionalism, their intellectual abilities, their deep sensitivity; in a word, the very dignity of their being!”(3) 

What is important to note here is that this is not just a historical problem - there are still ways where women are being treated shy of their dignity. “We need only think of how the gift of motherhood is often penalized rather than rewarded, even though humanity owes its very survival to this gift. Certainly, much remains to be done to prevent discrimination agains those who have chosen to be wives and mothers.” (4) John Paul II goes on to predict the role of women in the solution of serious problems that we face, such as: “leisure time, the quality of life, migration, social services, euthanasia, drugs, health care, the ecology, etc.”(4) 

Then he shifts his focus to speak about the dark history of violence agains women in the area of sexuality. He condemns this history and calls for the defense by law for women who find themselves treated this way. Going further and speaking about the pressure and often choice to abort a child conceived in such circumstances he says something incredibly important. “But before being something to blame on the woman, it is a crime for which guilt needs to be attributed to men and to the complicity of the general social environment.”(5) Why is this statement so important? 1) It is important that this is said by the pope because so often the “religious” argument against abortion is equated to punishment for the woman who finds herself in this situation. And 2) because not only does he call men to take responsibility for their actions, he calls upon the “general social environment”. If such societies continue to do nothing about violence in this way, they too are held accountable. To this he says “My word of thanks to women thus becomes a heartfelt appeal that everyone, and in a special way States and international institutions, should make every effort to ensure that women regain full respect for their dignity and role.”(6) 

With that we will end here, stay tuned for part 2!

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