When wife, mom, + producer Jeannie Gaffigan learned she had a pear-shaped brain tumor…it was inconvenient, to say the least. She had to learn how to give up a white-knuckled grip on control, find humor in heartache, and stop being the “executive producer” of her family. I loved her story about an atheist neurologist’s response to her faith life and how she feels God was with her through this insane medical journey. As a long-time fan of Jeannie’s wife Jim, I knew she’d be hilarious, even when talking about a brain tumor…and somehow, she was. Enjoy!   Today’s episode is brought to you by Select International. Head to selectinternationaltours.com/feminist to learn more about trips that can bring you closer to Jesus and give your own faith life a jolt.

125: Letting Go of Our Addiction to Control ft. Jeannie Gaffigan

The Catholic Feminist is a podcast for strong Catholic women who want to be inspired, informed, and intentional. Each week, we interview Catholic women on topics like poverty, refugees, eating disorders, mental health, and women's rights.

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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. 

Introducing FOLLOW: Logging Out and Leaning In

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.

176: The Catholic Feminist Finale

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.

175: The Plight of the Persecuted Christian ft. Gia Chacon

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.

174: The Grace of Motherhood and Art ft. Ann Vaeth

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.  

125: Letting Go of Our Addiction to Control ft. Jeannie Gaffigan

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