I came back to the Catholic Church during my sophomore year of college. After encountering God during a retreat, I wanted to take my faith more seriously. I wanted to pray. I wanted to be a “good Catholic” – whatever that was. I plugged into my Catholic young adult (YA) community to try and understand what this whole Catholic thing was about, thinking that maybe I could figure out how to be a “good Catholic” there.

The Dangers of Preaching One Way of Being a "Good Catholic"

My YA group definitely had a “vibe.” Going to daily Mass was like a badge of honor. People talked about praying the Liturgy of the Hours or which Doctor of the Church they were reading. Lots of the women wore veils to Mass, and more than one man had a giant rosary wrapped around his belt. There was an underlying tone of, “This is what the good Catholics do.”

And so, over time, I did those things, too. I became a daily Mass-going, rosary-praying, veil-wearing, Bible study-attending Catholic, developing my own list of spiritual practices to live my faith and be the Catholic I thought I was supposed to be. I thought there was only one way to be a “good Catholic.”

The problem was, being this kind of Catholic didn’t give me any peace. As I tried to keep up with these rules, I became quickly overwhelmed and anxious. I started getting scared of missing daily Mass or not praying the rosary, worrying that God would be mad at me for letting Him down. The rosary gave me constant anxiety because I worried I hadn’t prayed it well enough. Trying to pray at all became increasingly uncomfortable and I didn’t know how to find rest in anything in my faith life.

I didn’t know it at the time, but in pursuing the one way to be a “good Catholic,” I had developed a mental health disorder around living my faith.

The relationship between faith and mental health is a long and storied one. Notable people throughout history have dealt with “religious scruples,” anxiety, and OCD, including the well-known Saint Thérèse of Lisieux. After going to therapy and starting to work through these experiences, I discovered that I too had developed scrupulosity, a sort of pathological anxiety and guilt about being a good Catholic and living out my faith. And my story is not the only one.

The Development of Faith-Related Mental Health Disorders

Dr. Ally Sequeira, a psychologist who earned her PhD in counseling psychology at Texas A&M, works with Catholics of all ages to overcome these mental health disorders, specializing in OCD and religious scrupulosity.

“I see a lot of individuals who have scrupulosity,” says Dr. Sequeira, “who will pray multiple times, over and over again until it's just right. It kind of stems from this belief that God is going to be upset with me if it's not perfect. Or, I've had some patients who really struggle with Confession, and so won't go to Confession because they're afraid that they won't say everything perfectly, or that they'll miss a sin and then would have to do it all over again. So, it's just an intense pressure to be the perfect Catholic, which kind of goes against our faith. We're not called to be perfect.”

Where do these disorders come from and how do they develop? To some degree, mental health conditions are genetic. Dr. Sequeira explained that for OCD, “ee don't know exactly what causes it. But we do know that there is a neurobiological component to it, so it's highly hereditary. So if somebody in your family has OCD, there's a huge chance that you might have it as well.” Other mental illnesses, such as anxiety, also have a hereditary component.

However, genetics and family history isn’t the whole story. Going from a genetic predisposition to developing an actual mental health disorder depends heavily on the influence of our culture. Dr. Sequeira says that “we’re heavily influenced by the people around us, and heavily influenced by social media. When we have a belief, we tend to get any evidence that supports these beliefs that we have about ourselves. So, if we believe that we're not a good Catholic, then we're going to look for accounts and stuff like that to be like, ‘See, I need to be working harder,’ and that can really reinforce a lot of fears and anxieties.”

These toxic influences can come from many places, ranging from Instagram or other social media platforms to one’s local community. Dr. Sequeira’s sister Victoria Mastrangelo, who works as a high school theology teacher and campus minister, remarked,

“As an educator and someone who works in ministry, I’ve seen how scrupulosity can be a real obstacle to faith… I do think that there are schools of catechesis or theological formation that have led to a more everyday scrupulosity that keeps people from being able to live their faith freely and authentically, and that is so heartbreaking to me. For example, I was talking with a mom at my kid’s school about how it was ingrained in her that not praying the rosary everyday could send her to hell, which is in no way actual Church teaching.”

Women Who Have Seen and Experienced the Struggle with Mental Health Disorders and Faith

For Maria Brown*, who has been healing from OCD and panic disorder since January 2022, it started within her own family.

“A big part of my family's identity involves it being important to be Catholic, and I'm super sensitive to other people's emotions. So I was always very aware of how non-Catholics were talked about in my family… It was like an ‘othering’ of other people. And I was so terrified of not being included, that I just, like, made sure I was included.”

This desire to be included in her family eventually developed into OCD.

“I prayed the same structure of prayer from the time I was probably like seven or eight until January [of 2022]. I never deviated from it. It was the same words, and if I didn't finish it when I was falling asleep, I would wake up in the middle of the night and finish it… And I'd keep going until I made sure I made the Sign of the Cross… I was like, ‘It has to be this way.’”

Whether it be obsessive behaviors, as in Maria’s case, or extreme anxiety and fear, as in my case, the end result of these unhealthy relationships to spiritual practices is the same: a feeling of distance from God and a lack of authentic relationship with Him and the Church.

Dr. Sequeira witnessed this struggle with the patients coming to her office: 

“I think that when you're in the midst of really struggling with scrupulosity, it's really hard to have that authenticity, because you're focusing so much on, ‘How am I praying?’ versus, ‘What am I saying?’”

Victoria Mastrangelo has seen similar struggles:

“When the rules or guidelines are taught from a place of rigidity and absoluteness, then it places boundaries on people that trap them in a place of fear. And our relationship with God should never be rooted in fear – it’s in no way why He made us or what He wants. He loves us into existence and it’s His greatest hope that we are free to love Him in return, and that should be what frames our prayer lives. It also contradicts the teaching of our uniqueness in being made in God’s image to say that we all have to pray only one way to be able to reach Heaven.”

Healing from Faith-Related Mental Health Disorders

So, what’s the remedy for women like me and Maria who are struggling with their mental health and in their relationship with the Church? Naturally, the answer in part includes professional therapy. The particular therapeutic path taken depends on the individual person, but generally includes directly challenging related negative beliefs, thought patterns, and behaviors, to uncover the truth underneath them.

Dr. Sequeira explains, “[For OCD] we take a step back to say, ‘Well, what are we called to do as Catholics? What are our beliefs? What are the things that we're taught to do?’ Like, if you were to explain how someone's a good Catholic to an eight year old… Breaking it down, people are able to start realizing, ‘Oh, what I'm doing isn't what I'm supposed to be doing.’ Then, we would systematically go through different exposures that would help them realize – [we] put OCD to the test. Through that people can recognize that nothing bad happens. My discomfort goes away on its own and I actually feel closer to God when I break these rules.

“With anxiety, [because] we do get intrusive thoughts, but they feel like facts… The treatment for that is to help us identify more appropriate, more rational thoughts versus that irrational thought.”

For Maria, healing from OCD has included challenging her rigid prayer structure and focusing on her needs:

“Every morning, I'll be like, ‘What do I need right now? What do I want to do?’ I do think that understanding my relationship with God as a relationship, one in which I'm having a conversation, in which sometimes things are kind of dull, [and] sometimes I talk for a long time… It really feels way more fulfilling as prayer… The sort of antidote to my scrupulosity has been [saying], ‘Okay, let yourself kind of do what you want for a little bit and see what is or isn't working. And if something isn't working, you have a relationship with God and you will use that relationship to help manage it.’”

For women like us, this process of undoing irrational thoughts, fears, and practices can be both long and mentally, spiritually, and emotionally challenging. Mine has involved three years of therapy, intense prayer, and learning to lean into a healthy, supportive community. Maria’s journey is well underway. For others, the conflict between a genuine desire to live the faith and the feelings of pressure to do it perfectly is still ongoing. As we see from these stories, a toxic Catholic culture can teach us (wrongly) that there is only one way to be good.

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Author’s Note: Some names and identifying information have been changed at the request of the interviewee.

For years, the United States has overlooked and under-prioritized the pressing national crisis presented by the exorbitant maternal mortality rate. What is the role of the Church and our society in alleviating this crisis and creating a civilization of love in which every woman can have a safe and dignified pregnancy, birth, and maternity?

The Latest Report on Maternal Mortality

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recently issued a report summarizing the key findings of a study of pregnancy-related deaths, based on 2017 – 2019 data from 36 U.S. states. 

According to the report, 4 in 5 pregnancy-related deaths in the U.S. are preventable. 

In this study, a “pregnancy-related death” refers to a death during pregnancy or within one year of the end of pregnancy that results from a pregnancy complication, the chain of events initiated by pregnancy, or the aggravation of an unrelated condition by the physiologic effects of pregnancy. Likewise, the study defined “preventability” as a death in which there was at least some chance of the death being averted by one or more reasonable changes to patient, community, provider, facility, and/or system factors. 

Leading Causes of Pregnancy-Related Deaths

The study concluded that mental health conditions – including deaths linked to suicides and substance use disorders – were the leading cause of pregnancy-related deaths among pregnant women and new mothers (23%). Hemorrhaging (14%) and heart conditions (13%) followed closely behind. Infections, thrombotic embolisms and heart diseases and disorders, such as cardiomyopathy and hypertension, also made the list. 

It is worth noting that the leading cause of pregnancy-related death varied by race and ethnicity. Heart conditions were the most common cause of death in Black women, mental health conditions for Hispanic women, and hemorrhaging for Asian women.

While this study focused on data available in the years prior to the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, recent reports suggest that maternal mortality rates have continued to climb since the pandemic’s beginning in 2020. This is attributed to the additional challenges the pandemic presented for access to health care.

The White House Response

In response to worsening maternal health outcomes, in June 2022 the White House launched a whole-of-government Blueprint for Addressing the Maternal Health Crisis. The plan has five key goals aimed at improving maternal health outcomes in the United States:

1. Increasing access to and coverage of comprehensive high-quality maternal health services.

2. Ensuring that women giving birth are heard and are decision-makers in accountable systems of care.

3. Advancing data collection, standardization, harmonization, transparency, and research.

4. Expanding and diversifying the perinatal workforce.

5. Strengthening economic and social support for women before, during, and after pregnancy.

As Vice President Kamala Harris stated in the letter introducing the White House’s action plan, the climbing pregnancy-related death rate suggests that, “far too many women experience pain, neglect, and loss during what should be one of the most joyous times of their lives.”

There is a pressing need for quality improvement initiatives not only at the federal level, but also across states, in hospitals, and within communities to ensure that pregnant women and new mothers are provided with the right care at the right time.

We Need to Build a Civilization of Love

The White House blueprint emphasizes that while the factors driving our maternal health crisis are undoubtedly complex and income is not always a protective factor, “it is much harder for pregnant women to stay healthy when they are hungry, experience violence, are without housing, feel unsafe, lack child care, lack parental leave, and/or lack a steady paycheck.”

This crisis cannot be solved by the healthcare system alone. We must also take into account the social and cultural factors related to pregnancy in the United States. 

We must acknowledge that this work belongs to all of us as a society, and we must make an effort to understand the circumstances that contribute to every pregnancy-related death in order to redefine the ways in which we support new mothers.

In her mission to uphold the dignity, role and rights of women, the Church is poised to lead the cultural revolution needed to address our maternal health crisis. She must serve as a uniting force in assessing and tackling the structural and cultural forces affecting pregnant women and new mothers that will help us make headway in the fight against maternal mortality.

If we start by actively fighting against maternal mistreatment, bolstering the voice of women – especially those from communities of color – and advocating for culturally appropriate, respectful, and accountable medical care to pregnant mothers, we can begin to redesign the culture, systems, and processes that are currently failing new mothers.

We need to build a society in which every woman can have a safe and dignified pregnancy, birth, and maternity. In short, we need to build a civilization of love.

Sr. Thea Bowman was an African-American Franciscan sister whose cause for sainthood was recently opened. New Group Media produced a documentary on her life called Going Home Like a Shooting Star: Thea Bowman’s Journey to Sainthood, which began airing on ABC affiliates nationwide in October 2022.

The Inspiration Behind the Documentary on Sr. Thea Bowman

The film was written and produced by Sr. Judith Zelinski, a Franciscan sister who works for New Group Media. She spoke about the murder of George Floyd prompting her to create this documentary. She recalls watching the news coverage about George Floyd: “[It] really touched me. I am a writer, a story-teller. What can we do next? Thea Bowman came to the forefront.”

Sr. Judith Zelinski said, “I am hoping that people are touched by her message and can connect the dots to what is going on in our country today. We are so polarized and so fearful and so worried about people who are not ‘our tribe.’ I am hoping this [documentary] spurs some energy in the Church to speak out more about racism.”

Sr. Thea Bowman’s cause for canonization was opened in 2018 with Bishop Joseph R. Kopacz of Jackson, Mississippi, being the petitioner. The diocese of Jackson wrote a prayer so that people could ask for Sr. Thea’s intercession to further her cause for sainthood.

Part of this prayer states, “For in turbulent times of racial injustice, she sought equity, peace, and reconciliation. In times of intolerance and ignorance, she brought wisdom, awareness, unity, and charity. In times of pain, sickness, and suffering, she taught us how to live fully until called home to the land of promise.”

Inspired? We are, too. Here are four things you should know about this great Black Catholic woman:

1. Sr. Thea Bowman was a singer, story-teller, teacher, and advocate for social justice.

She wanted the Church to embrace the breadth and depth of African-American culture and spirituality. She combined all of her talents and gifts to teach others about the beauty of her heritage and how the Church was enriched by this heritage, as well.

2. She staged a hunger strike to convince her parents to let her become a religious sister.

When Thea Bowman was fifteen years old, she told her parents that she wanted to join the Franciscan Sisters of Perpetual Adoration. Her parents were skeptical (as the parents of most teenagers would be). Thea Bowman decided to stage a hunger strike to prove her commitment and devotion. Her parents relented and let her move to La Cross, Wisconsin to join this religious order.

3. She was diagnosed with breast cancer in 1984.

Following the deaths of her parents, Sr. Thea Bowman was diagnosed with breast cancer. She vowed to not let this stop her from fighting for racial justice and inclusion in the Church, continuing her speaking engagements and even appearing on 60 Minutes.

She ultimately died of breast cancer in 1990 and asked that her gravestone say, “She tried.” She wanted the world to know that despite the challenges she faced, she tried her best to love the Lord and His people.

4. She was the first African-American woman to speak to the United States Conference of Bishops.

In 1989, Sr. Thea Bowman was asked to address the entire USCCB on being Black and Catholic. Despite being weakened from cancer, bald from chemotherapy, and in a wheelchair, she felt called to deliver this address.

She spoke to them and said, “What does it mean to be Black and Catholic? It means that I come to my Church fully functioning. That doesn’t frighten you, does it? I come to my Church fully functioning. I bring myself; my Black self, all that I am, all that I have, all that I hope to become. I bring my whole history, my traditions, my experience, my culture, my African-American song and dance and gesture and movement and teaching and preaching and healing and responsibility – as gifts to the Church.” Archbishop Wilton, one of the USCCB members that was present for her address, is featured in the documentary.

Want to learn more? Watch Going Home Like a Shooting Star: Thea Bowman’s Journey to Sainthood, available (for free!) on the Franciscan sister’s website.

In March 2019, a group of Catholics living in Milwaukee began to gather and talk about the Church’s sexual abuse crisis. Grieved and infuriated by the leadership failures that protected abusers while abandoning victims, these people began to imagine what it would look like to work for change, healing, and most importantly, accountability.

These necessary conversations led to the creation of Awake Milwaukee, an organization that acknowledges the pain and trauma of abuse victims while being a committed voice working for change and accountability. Awake offers resources and support for survivors, as well as ways to be more informed and support their work.

Sara Larson, the Executive Director of Awake Milwaukee, was gracious enough to give an interview to FemCatholic discussing what forgiveness looks like when we talk about the painful reality of the sexual abuse crisis in the Catholic Church.

When discussing what forgiveness looks like practically for abuse victims, you will hear the voice of a brave survivor, Esther Harber. It is critical to listen to the stories of survivors, and we feel so grateful to hear and receive Esther’s experience.

And if you or someone you know has experienced abuse in the Catholic Church, please know that Awake Milwaukee will hear you, support you, and walk alongside you in your healing journey.

For someone who has experienced sexual abuse by clergy, what does forgiveness look like? And more importantly, what does it not look like?

Sara Larson: Forgiveness is a beautiful gift, but in relation to those who have experienced abuse by a Catholic leader, it’s almost easier to say what forgiveness is not.

Forgiveness is not saying that what happened wasn’t a big deal, or letting an abuser off the hook. In fact, to truly forgive someone, you have to look at the depth of the harm and acknowledge how profoundly you have been hurt. 

Forgiveness does not mean forgoing any pursuit of accountability or justice. You can forgive someone and still work to put them in jail or have them removed from ministry, for their own good and for the safety of others.

Forgiveness does not mean having warm feelings towards someone who hurt you deeply. Forgiveness is a choice, which may or may not be accompanied by a change in how you feel.

Forgiveness is not the same as reconciliation or restoring a relationship. A survivor can make an internal choice to forgive an abuser and have no intention of ever seeing them again. In fact, forgiveness can actually be a way for a survivor to break the ties that make them feel bound to the perpetrator.

Forgiveness is not forgetting what happened, or pretending there are no ongoing effects of the abuse. Healing from trauma is a lifelong journey, and forgiveness does not mean an end to that difficult work.

Forgiveness is so much more than a spiritual principle. What other parts of the human person come into play here?

Sara Larson: It’s important to recognize that humans are not simply spiritual beings. Catholic teaching tells us that our bodies matter, and we can’t simply brush away the physical realities of our existence. This is especially true when we think about the way that trauma impacts the human person and rewires our brains. So, when we talk about forgiveness for a trauma survivor, we need to be conscious of the way that trauma might be impacting their reactions.

How can forgiveness sometimes be used or weaponized against abuse survivors?

Sara Larson: Some abuse survivors call forgiveness “the F word.” For many, this is not because they reject the possibility of forgiving their abuser, but because the idea of forgiveness has been weaponized against them as a way of dismissing their pain or their desire for accountability. Some Catholics often tell survivors, “You just need to forgive,” as a way to end a hard conversation or avoid difficult questions about justice and accountability. It can sometimes feel like these words serve the same function as harmful commands like “keep quiet” or “move on.”

All forms of abuse are primarily about a misuse of power and taking away a victim’s ability to choose for themselves. For some abuse survivors, the choice to forgive can be an act of empowerment, a choice to move forward after deep harm. This individual choice is not something that can be commanded, especially by those in the institution that has caused the harm.

What does the journey of forgiveness look like practically for abuse survivors?

Esther Harber: This is an important topic to examine closely. Forgiveness will look a little different for each person because how we respond to trauma is different. One phrase that has always been helpful for me is, “Taking them off of my hook and putting them on God’s hook.” Ultimately, I want to strive to free myself from the need to get retribution or revenge. A large part of my healing journey is learning to trust that God’s justice will be done, but it is not up to me to make that happen. I have found deeper freedom and healing through forgiveness. For me, it was also empowering and ultimately joyful.

Forgiveness is not a rejection of justice or neglecting holding a perpetrator accountable. In fact, that is a perversion of forgiveness and mercy. If we ignore someone’s sin and allow them to continue to sin, we are not acting mercifully. I firmly hold that bringing perpetrators to justice is the most merciful thing we can do for their soul.

In terms of forgiveness, what do Catholics need to understand from the experience of abuse survivors?

Sara Larson: To forgive someone who has caused deep and lasting harm is a courageous and deeply meaningful act, but it must be freely chosen, not imposed by others. If you are ever given the sacred opportunity to listen to someone’s story of abuse, the first words out of your mouth should be, “I am so sorry. I believe you. How can I help?”

I have also heard many survivors say that they have been able to forgive the person who abused them, but it’s more difficult to forgive those in the Church who have responded to their abuse with minimization, blame, covering up, or simply silence and apathy. Often, the original abuse has ended, but this institutional betrayal continues for years (even decades) after a victim comes forward. It’s important that all Catholics work to not only end abuse, but also to transform the way that our Church responds to those who have been harmed.

I recently had the rare chance to catch up with one of my “new mom” friends, Nancy. She and I are both Latinas, and though we are from different countries, we share many similar traditions. As both new moms and first generation United States citizens, we talked about how we are gearing up for the holiday season. In the US, we are now in what social media fondly calls “spooky season.” As Nancy and I talked about our plans to celebrate, I thought about the origins of many Latin holidays that came about from a blending of ancient religious superstition and the Catholicism brought to Latin countries through colonization.

Celebrating Latin Heritage and Holidays

“I never thought about it before but I’m not sure I really plan on celebrating Halloween this year.” Nancy told me when we were catching up. “I think I’m actually planning on celebrating Dia de Los Muertos instead! It hadn’t really occurred to me before because my family rarely celebrated it in our own home – it was more of a social, community thing we did back in Juarez. But now that [my son] is here and half American, I want him to get to know his heritage and share in the same memories I had as a child.”

We talked about Nancy’s father, who is from the southern regions of Mexico (where certain traditions are stronger than they generally are in Juarez), and about how her family celebrated Dia de Los Muertos.

“My parents were very intentionally Catholic, which made them a little less interested in doing the home altars for our deceased relatives. Instead we went to the community’s celebrations at school, where they’d make these huge memorial altars where people would bring photos of their deceased relatives and their favorite foods to share a meal with them.”

Nancy went on to say that the beauty of the cempasúchil (marigolds) and the colorful calaveras (sugar skulls and painted skeletons) were things she loved, though she never dressed up when she was a child. Her sister started dressing up as La Catrina after becoming a part of a growing Mexican community in recent years, and it has inspired Nancy to dig deeper into her roots.  

How Colonization Blended Catholicism and Ancient Superstition

Before the globalization of American culture, Latin America celebrated All Souls Day and All Saints Day without a whisper of trick-or-treating or Halloween. In Mexico, this took special form in Dia de Los Muertos, a multi-day celebration coinciding with All Souls Day and All Saints Day, when Mexicans and Central Americans celebrate the memories and lives of their deceased relatives.

Mesoamerica had been celebrating this tradition for 3,000 years. It only began to be celebrated in conjunction with Catholic holidays after colonization by the Spanish. As it is for most Latin American countries’ traditions, there exists a blending of both ancient and spiritual identities. Indigenous civilizations in the Central and South American regions were deeply spiritual, and many superstitions were ingrained into their identities through religious practices as nations.

It was crucial to the colonization of these civilizations by Spain to bridge the gap between these practices and Catholicism as well as they could, without eradicating these spiritual practices and rituals. This created an entirely unique practice of Catholicism all together. 

Religious Origins of National Holidays in Latin Countries

National holidays play a huge part in shaping a country’s culture and what it looks like to be a part of that country’s people. They are a major factor in what sets Latin American countries apart from one another, but also in what binds them closely together.

It’s true that many national holidays in Latin American countries have religious origins. Our Lady of Guadalupe (December 12th) is celebrated nationally in many Latin American countries. Other popular holidays include celebrating Semana Santa (Holy Week) in lieu of Spring Break and observing Father’s Day on the Feast of St. Joseph (March 19th). In my country of origin, Colombia, the Feast of the Immaculate Conception (December 8th) is another big one.

These national recognized holidays are usually celebrated with great feasts, fireworks, parades – you name it. Community-based Catholic traditions are extremely popular within Latin countries. For example, instead of making cookies for Santa Claus, we celebrate La Novena by praying a novena, dancing, singing, and eating during the nine days before Christmas Day as we prepare to welcome El Niño Jesus.

The Messiness of Blending Ancient and Catholic Spiritualities

Latin American and Caribbean countries boast the largest populations of Catholics, making up around 39% of all Catholics globally in 2010, with three Latin American countries appearing in the top ten most Catholic countries in the world in 2019. While the percentage of Catholics in all Western countries is declining, Catholicism in Latin countries persists as a cultural identity. With each country claiming their own lesser-known Marian apparitions, the casual wearing of rosaries as bracelets or necklaces, and having the image of Our Lady of Guadalupe printed on nearly every item imaginable, being Catholic and Latin American has been almost synonymous. 

This has not come without its faults. Enmeshment of Latin America’s ancestral spirituality with Catholicism has always posed a threat to the national identities of many Latin American generations. It is no surprise that, over time, the relationship between a Latin nation’s culture and Catholicism has resulted in a variety of superstitious and borderline (if not at times overtly) problematic practices. Many of these practices are perpetuated through cultural traditions, and the expectations to abide by them are given spiritual weight.

For example, there is generally a greater susceptibility to “apocalyptic” speech and approaches towards religion and life. Death is a regular visitor to Latin American countries, whether through extreme poverty, natural disasters, or tragedies of guerilla warfare. The seemingly constant turmoil within our countries has existed for thousands of years, and has often been attributed to dark, unseen forces. Much of our indigenous roots and practices were to seek healing and protection from these dark forces, something the Spanish were able to use to facilitate conversions to Christianity.

These practices are perpetuated in ritualistic traditions, from smaller ones like saying “sana sana colita de rana” when your child falls and scrapes their knee, to beliefs that require more intentional solutions like “El Mal de Ojo” or “the Evil Eye” and eventually lead down darker paths to practices like Santeria.

Many of these ritualistic traditions result in wearing items that repel dark spirits or ill will, having within them an ancient presumption that we are all at the mercy of the spiritual world and its whims. Ways to control and break free from these negative “chains” often require the use of religious practices which, in most cases, must be continued through generations. From frequent exorcisms (some sources that claim 1 in 8 Hispanics in the US have witnessed an exorcism) to burning “Jesus” candles in the wake of natural disasters, there has been a consistent embrace of a more charismatic approach to Catholicism within Latin America.

Mortification and suffering take on greater meanings as a result of the Catholic and indigenous perceptions of suffering and sacrifices. Suffering holds high value and is even revered when attempting to achieve greater spiritual gifts, which in turn enables a culture that views suffering as equitable to a gift for holiness. This becomes problematic on many levels, leading many devout Catholics ,and particularly older Latin generations, to permit the existence of untreated mental illnesses for the sake of perceived sanctity. As a result, God’s judgment can be defined most clearly in the chaos of the uncontrollable forces of nature, life, and tragedy, and His mercy found in suffering.

Owning our Cultural and Religious Traditions

However, as the decades pass and our countries continue to progress alongside newer First World countries in various technologies, exposure to other ways of life often comes with the breaking of traditions.

For example, while about 68% of all Colombians identify as Catholics, in recent years, there has been backlash for not creating a greater and more public divide of Church and state. The previous Vice President, Marta Lucía Ramírez, was sanctioned in 2021 for consecrating the nation to Our Lady of Fátima and asking for her protection against COVID-19 on social media. Surprising as it may seem, Colombia’s neighboring country Ecuador was publicly consecrated to the Sacred Heart of Jesus in the late 1800s by their president, Gabriel García Moreno, who was later killed in 1875 for his pro-Catholic policies.

In the last few decades, there has been political and social turmoil in our countries, much of which demonstrates more progressive movements aligning themselves to deconstructionist and anti-Catholic views. But for now, Latin American cultures still remain extremely Catholic overall, maintaining their uniquely religious national holidays with no sign of leaving them behind. 

For people like Nancy and I, it’s an opportunity to share with our children the richness of our cultures, both ancient and renewed through Catholicism. Though our traditions may have come as a result of influence from Catholic Spanish conquistadors, generations of Latin Americans have long made them our own and a part of our Faith.

Nancy is looking forward to sharing these traditions with her son, especially Dia de Los Muertos. “I am just so excited to share it with him. I don’t feel there is much of a division between my Catholic beliefs and the idea that on Dia de Los Muertos, our deceased loved ones’ memories are remembered and celebrated. There is a recognition that our deceased relatives haven’t really died, especially when they live on in our memories. The meals we ‘share’ with them are the best part because it reminds me of the resurrection. Christ came back from the dead and ate and drank with his beloved apostles, so it's like a taste of what is to come.”

It’s “spooky season,” which means the return of the Sanderson Sisters, haunted houses, and scary movies. Whether it’s witches, blood and gore, demonic possession, or ghosts, this time of year reminds us of our fascination with things otherworldly, supernatural, and a bit macabre. Did you know that the Catholic Church has its own share of creepy, eerie, and mysterious things that go bump in the night? Here’s a round-up of the spookiest Catholic beliefs.

Relics: Family Heirlooms from the Saints

The head of Catherine of Siena. The hand of Francis Xavier. The heart of Jean Vianney. What do these items have in common? They’re all relics of Catholic saints and, yes, you can see them on display.

Relics are the bones, body parts, clothing, or personal possessions of saints that are revered by the Church and often associated with miracles. Like heirlooms passed on by families, relics are a way to preserve the memories of fellow Christians. These tangible objects remind us of the bodily existence of the saint and a way to connect with his or her example – kind of like how you might hold onto your grandma's favorite apron.

The reverence we offer these relics is called veneration, and it’s not worship. Rather,  it’s “the honoring, cherishing, respecting, and devotion of heart given to the saints [as] an expression of our friendship and love for the saints.” Relics help us remember the real connection between us here on earth and the saints in heaven who continue to pray for us.

During the earliest days of the Church, persecuted Christians in Rome had to meet in the catacombs (burial sites of early Christians) to celebrate Mass. Being surrounded by these tombs led to the veneration of relics. This practice developed into taking relics from saints beginning as early as 156 AD, when it was said that after the martyrdom of a bishop in Turkey, Christians “took up his bones, which are more valuable than precious stones and finer than refined gold, and laid them in a suitable place” so as to gather together to “celebrate his martyrdom.” 

By the 12th century, relics were a common practice in Christianity and a source of pilgrimages. It is still common practice today to place a relic of a saint in the altar (or underneath it) to recall those early Masses in the catacombs. 

There’s even a precedent for relics in the Bible, such as Moses taking of Joseph’s bones after the Exodus and a woman being cured of a hemorrhage by touching Jesus’ cloak. 

One especially spooky relic is the blood of St. Gennaro (a third century bishop) in Naples, Italy. His blood is contained in a vial and displayed three times each year. The relic of dried blood typically rests on one side of the container, but on these special days it is miraculously restored to its liquid state and covers the entire glass.

The Incorruptibles: Bodies Preserved from Decay After Death

Incorruptibles are saints whose bodies have been miraculously preserved from normal decay after death. While this is the general definition, the Church “does not have a cut-and-dried definition of what condition a holy person’s body must be found in to be declared incorrupt, and it does not necessarily require that the body remains permanently in the same condition in which it is found.”

While what “counts” as incorruptible can vary, all examples are miraculous since they cannot be explained by any means of preservation or by natural processes. Signs that a body is incorrupt include “retain[ing] lifelike flexibility, color, and freshness” for many years after death. Some examples of saints that are found in some state of incorruptibility are St. Rita of Cascia, St. Zita, St. Bernadette, St. John Bosco, and St. Catherine Laboure.

The Church acknowledges any scientific or medical explanations for this phenomenon, especially when previously declared incorruptibles are shown to have received preservative methods. Therefore, this is not used as a miracle in the process of declaring someone a saint, nor is it something that the Church will officially declare of any body found to be incorrupt. However, the existence of these bodies can teach us something: They may be viewed as a confirmation of the person’s existence in heaven and they can remind us of the resurrection of the bodies at the end of time. Ultimately, they can provide hope in the miraculous and in eternal life.

Bleeding Communion Hosts

In the Catholic faith, the Eucharist is believed to be the body and blood of Jesus, a teaching that can be hard to accept for a variety of reasons, including that the Eucharist still appears as bread and wine. Doubt in the Eucharist has been present since its inception, and has raised many objections and questions. Sometimes, these doubts and questions have been answered miraculously.

Eucharistic miracles are instances in which the Eucharist no longer appears as bread and wine, but as human flesh and blood to reveal its true nature as Jesus’ body and blood. The Vatican International Exhibition showcases 100+ eucharistic miracles that have taken place all over the world. 

The first of these miracles took place in 750 AD in Lanciano, Italy when a doubtful priest celebrating Mass found that the bread and wine had turned into flesh and blood on the altar. This exact flesh and blood remains preserved today at the Church of San Francesco.

In the 13th century, a Portuguese woman consulted a witch to help her deal with her unfaithful husband. The cost of this help was a stolen consecrated host from Mass. After stealing a host, the woman found that it started to bleed. She repented and gave the host back to her priest and that host continues to bleed today at the Church of the Holy Miracle in Santarem, Portugal.

Eucharistic miracles have been reported in the 20th and 21st centuries in Venezuela (1991), Argentina (1996, investigated by Jorge Bergolio, now Pope Francis), India (2001), Mexico (2006), and Poland (2008 and 2013).

These miracles have undergone extensive scientific study, beginning with Lanciano in 1970. These studies found common features in miracles that span geography and time: the blood is human and AB type, the blood is fresh and contains white blood cells as if the heart were still beating, and the flesh is human tissue of the left ventricle of an inflamed heart. Each of these features has not been explained nor been able to be replicated by any available scientific techniques to date.

Exorcisms: They Aren’t Just in the Movies

Since the 1973 release of The Exorcist, a popular trope of scary movies is a possessed person in need of an exorcism. This phenomenon provides great visuals and scary imagery, but it can be easy to forget that demonic possession is real.

Exorcisms are “when the Church asks publicly and authoritatively in the name of Jesus Christ that a person or object be protected against the power of the Evil One and withdrawn from his dominion… Exorcism is directed at the expulsion of demons or to the liberation from demonic possession through the spiritual authority which Jesus entrusted to his Church.”

Exorcisms may only be performed by a priest with the permission of the bishop, and they are rooted in the authority of Jesus, who performed exorcisms in the Gospels. There is one exorcist per diocese who is especially trained to perform exorcisms, and whose identity is known only to the bishop.

True demonic possession is pretty rare and the Church is careful not to immediately declare a supernatural cause for disturbing behavior. To determine whether an exorcism is needed, the person must first be interviewed by medical professionals to rule out any neurological or psychological explanations for the person’s behavior and experiences, according to USCCB protocol.

As is often depicted in movies, signs of possession may in fact include hatred of holy things, knowledge of languages not studied by the subject, predictions of future events, strange noises, flying objects, violent attacks, and severe personality changes. These signs are intermittent, with moments of lucidity in between. The possessed may have no idea in their lucid moments what is happening during these manifestations of possession, and the Church does not hold the subject personally responsible for what happens during this time.

Demonic possession doesn’t happen suddenly, and it’s typically the third and final step of a progression that begins with temptation and then oppression/obsession. This progression usually stems from involvement in the occult, such as seeking mediums and using Ouija boards. What begins as fun and games can be, in fact, opening up to evil forces. Protecting against evil and possession is actually rather ordinary: prayer, Mass, the sacraments, and generally maintaining a relationship with God can all protect us.

The Rite of Exorcism includes prayers, blessings, and calling on the help of Mary and the saints, all in the name of Jesus, who is the one that truly expels the demon. The rite is continued until the demon is cast out, which could be hours, weeks, or even years. Exorcisms are part of the healing ministry of the Church, meaning that the goal is both to remove the demonic influence and to provide healing for the one possessed.

Memento Mori: Remembering Our Death

The Catholic Church is very comfortable with the topic of death, which can be off-putting in a culture that is so uncomfortable with the topic. Some communities still proclaim, “Remember that you are dust and to dust you shall return,” when placing ashes on people’s foreheads during Ash Wednesday. We dedicate the entire month of November to remembering the dead, and many portraits of saints include a skull as a symbol of memento mori, “remembering your death.”

While this practice was popularized during the medieval period, it has its roots in the Bible:

“In whatever you do, remember your last days, and you will never sin.”

“So teach us to number our days, that we may get a heart of wisdom.”

“If anyone wishes to come after me, he must deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me.”

Memento mori means a few things. First, it’s a reminder that we all do in fact die. It’s a call to remember our mortality. However, it is also a call to remember that our earthly life is not our only life. Second, this phrase reminds us to contemplate our death and the offer of eternal life beyond death because our earthly lives, choices, and actions determine the course of that eternal life.

‍The focus on the end of life can motivate our daily living, inspiring us to choose to live well. The Catechism reminds us that “death lends urgency to our lives: remembering our mortality helps us realize that we have only a limited time in which to bring our lives to fulfillment.” Sr. Theresa Aletheia, a former atheist now known as the “death nun,” is on a quest to renew this practice (and you can find more from her on Twitter).

I received my first real kiss behind the kickball field at the parish spaghetti dinner. We missed. Fortunately, the second attempt was more successful and I walked out of the spaghetti dinner with the ultimate 7th grade status symbol: a boyfriend.

As is typical in middle school romances, the relationship was mostly talking (and mostly over AIM). I learned about his family and his hobbies. He even confided in me about his porn use. I was naive enough to be surprised, but he quickly explained to me that it was normal, that all boys watched porn. My best friend confirmed this assessment.

“Porn is like breathing to boys,” she assured me. “If they don’t do it, they die.”

I couldn’t very well ask my middle school boyfriend to stop breathing, so I accepted his porn use. Besides, I reasoned, I was a really bad kisser.

Eventually, the boy and I stopped speaking and we broke up. But I had learned something important from this brief relationship: If I wanted to date men, I’d have to learn to live with porn.

How Porn Impacts our Relationships

My middle school innocence didn’t last long. The next relationship was significantly more physical, as was the next one. There were a lot of boyfriends, to be honest. I was never shy about exploring my sexuality. However, the guys and I were never really on the same playing field. I may have gone on a lot of dates as a teenager, but the person I was most interested in was always the person right in front of me.

Meanwhile, I frequently had the impression that I was being compared to someone else: an idealized woman who was not in the room. That woman wasn’t just interested in trying new things – she was an expert in everything related to sex. She wasn’t vocal about her likes and dislikes; she liked everything. She made certain noises and certain movements. She flipped her hair in a certain way. Gradually, I learned to imitate this woman, and the more I did so the happier my partners were. My own satisfaction was less important. I thought I was getting better at sexual encounters, but I was only getting better at playing a part. 

Compared to the young women of today, I had it easy. No one tried to choke me or asked for anal sex, both of which are increasingly common. In fact, 25% of American woman report being scared during sex. It shouldn’t have to be said, but most women do not enjoy being choked. They especially don’t like it when it’s a surprise.

Unfortunately, you’d never know that from watching porn. Despite what we may want to believe, the version of sexuality portrayed in pornography absolutely impacts our real sex lives – and it’s usually women who suffer the consequences.

The Porn Taboo

Imagine you are on a date with someone charming and funny. You’re having a good time, and eventually, he asks you to go home with him. Of course, you know what he’s really asking. You look him in the eye and say, “Before we go any further, could you tell me what kind of porn you watched last week?”

If asking this question seems absurd, invasive, or even laughable to you, ask yourself why. This man is already asking you to join him in the most intimate act two human beings can engage in. Don’t you have a right to know what his expectations are?

Approximately 98% of men and 73% of women watch pornography, yet very few people talk about it. Porn has a dual stigma: watching it is stigmatized, but critiquing it is also stigmatized. The inability to talk openly about porn use means we rarely know what kind of porn our partner is consuming. We may fear sex-shaming or kink-shaming our partners. It’s their private life, after all, and it has nothing to do with us. But the truth is, our partner’s private life has a lot to do with us. There is strong evidence that the porn a person watches impacts their sexual desires, not the other way around. By not discussing porn, we allow it to be the unspoken director of our sexual lives.

It’s Okay to Ask For What You Want

I was already married before I felt comfortable speaking up about my feelings on pornography. It took reconnecting with my faith, gaining confidence in my own worthiness, and finally being with a man I could trust before I realized that I had a right to an opinion. For too long, I had believed that porn was something I had to learn how to live with in a relationship, something I had to accept without question. This is, quite simply, a lie.

My preference is for my partner to avoid porn entirely because, in my experience, sex is better with a person who isn’t watching porn. I feel safer and more confident in a relationship with shared sexual language and shared expectations that arise from our shared bedroom. It’s not because I “can’t compete” with a porn star, it’s because the information she’s sharing is different from the information I want to share. Her message isn’t my message, and her message is really quite loud. It’s completely reasonable for me to ask for what I want.

It’s also reasonable for you to ask for what you want. Despite what society tells us, it’s not controlling to speak up for yourself. So ask your partner directly for what you want, whether it’s less porn use, no porn use, or simply avoiding certain types of porn. Maybe you don’t care, but you should still discuss it.

Porn is not like breathing, and your partner will not die without it. I promise.

Please read with discretion, as this article shares a brief story about miscarriage.

After fighting infertility for years, battling cancer, and finally seeing the two coveted pink lines on a pregnancy test, Hannah was overjoyed.

Then, at her 8-week appointment, she received the devastating news that she had lost her baby. “I’m sorry, Hannah, but there’s no heartbeat,” Hannah’s doctor told her with compassion in his voice.

In the weeks following, Hannah oscillated between soul-wrenching grief, tearful anger, and utter confusion. She couldn’t understand why God would allow such seemingly senseless cruelty. Why would God bless her with a pregnancy, only to end it long before the baby’s first breath?

Pregnancy and Infant Loss Awareness Month Reminds Us of the Need for Better Support

Hannah is a member of my local infertility and loss support group who agreed to share her story with FemCatholic. She is not alone in her experience: Hannah’s story is the story of millions of women who have experienced both the elation of growing a tiny human in their bellies and the heartbreak that follows when that baby passes.

In October, women like Hannah take the time to remember their babies. October is Pregnancy and Infant Loss Awareness Month, which offers a chance for grieving parents to honor their loss while also raising awareness of the magnitude of such losses to the general public. Though the whole month serves as a reminder of those babies gone too soon, October 15 in particular is Pregnancy and Infant Loss Remembrance Day, when women and families around the country gather to cry, laugh, support each other, and light candles to commemorate their little ones. 

Miscarriage and Infant Loss Are Tragically Common, and Yet Many Women Still Feel Shame

Miscarriage and infant loss are fairly ubiquitous. Approximately 1 in 4 women have experienced miscarriage. About 1 in 160 pregnancies end in stillbirths. And roughly 5.4 out of 1,000 infants will die in their first year.

Yet, for many women, the topic of miscarriage and infant loss can feel a bit taboo – or even shameful.

One contributing factor is the hidden nature of miscarriage loss: It isn’t as visible as other types of loss. Sometimes a miscarriage occurs before the couple openly shares the news about their pregnancy news. Other times, the woman is not yet showing a bump. Still others feel like their losses don’t count if they occur before (insert arbitrary number here) weeks of pregnancy. Perhaps worst of all, some mothers blame themselves for the losses:

“If only I hadn’t been so stressed…”
“I knew I shouldn’t have done that CrossFit workout…”
“I don’t deserve to be a mom…” 

We Need More Support from the Catholic Church After Miscarriage and Infant Loss

When a miscarriage happens, couples often grieve alone, leading to isolation and feelings of shame – and the Catholic Church’s lack of resources on this type of loss doesn’t help alleviate those heavy feelings.

‍When Hannah, a practicing Catholic, had a miscarriage at 8 weeks, she didn’t turn to her parish priest or diocese for support. Instead, she sought comfort from her close friends and family, her counselor, and a non-denominational Christian support group. The thought of reaching out to her priest didn’t even cross her mind.

She explained, “The Church has a lot of resources for visible struggles, but there aren’t as many resources for internal struggles. No one can ‘see’ if you’re miscarrying – it’s hidden – and the Church doesn’t focus as much on the hidden struggles.”

Fr. James Brady of the Diocese of Lafayette, Louisiana, agrees with Hannah that support for miscarriage could be improved. Fr. Brady has counseled and prayed with numerous couples and individuals grieving the loss of a child. He believes that “a miscarriage is a death of a child that should be treated as such.” When a couple walks through his doors for miscarriage or infant loss, Fr. Brady assures them that the loss “is not something to be ashamed of, but rather is something that needs to be grieved.” 

One thing he offers to grieving parents is a burial service and/or funeral Mass. A service can help a hidden loss feel more tangible, while also providing closure and community support. As one friend interviewed by FemCatholic shared, “having our baby’s soul prayed for out loud as we said goodbye was so moving – it still makes me cry with gratitude.” A service also brings comfort to a couple and reminds them that their child is united with God in Heaven. Many couples are concerned when their child dies unbaptized. Fr. Brady assures us that “God is not limited by baptism. God is an all-merciful God who wouldn’t deny salvation to the most innocent of His children.”

However, Fr. Brady’s compassionate approach is more the exception than the norm among clergy. Miscarriage and infant loss “is an area of pastoral care that’s under-served,” he said. Seminarians don’t receive practical training or courses on miscarriage and infant loss. Once ordained, there is no uniform pastoral training on how to equip priests to handle those losses.

Father Brady also acknowledges the big elephant in the room: that priests are single, unmarried men who usually don’t have personal experience with this type of loss. As Hannah candidly shared, “When it comes to miscarriage, a priest is a single man who doesn’t relate.”

Women, even if they have children themselves, often struggle to support a friend experiencing miscarriage or infant loss. So where do hurting women go?

Red Bird Ministries is Filling the Gap to Support Women and Men Grieving the Loss of a Child

The vast majority of women who miscarry today are millennials (the generation encompassing ages 26 to 41). Where do millennials go when they need anything, whether groceries, makeup, or emotional support? Their phones – or more specifically, the Internet. 

But even the internet falls short when it comes to Catholic resources for miscarriage and infant loss. There are currently no widespread, uniform resources accessible to and implemented by all Catholic dioceses. And the resources that do exist are typically birthed from the general public, rather than from within the Catholic Church.

Still, there is hope. Priests like Fr. Brady and organizations like Red Bird Ministries (a Catholic organization that is perhaps gaining the most traction in this area of loss) seek to correct this disservice. Red Bird supports individuals and couples grieving the loss of a child, from pregnancy through adulthood. It was created out of founders Kelly and Ryan Breaux’s most painful tragedies: The losses of three children throughout their marriage.

Red Bird’s mission is twofold. On the one hand, Red Bird serves the immediate needs of grieving parents by helping them “address the profound healing that needs to happen while also honoring the memory of the child.” Equally as important, though, Red Bird also “partners with dioceses and parishes to provide the tools and resources to support families who have experienced the loss of a child from pregnancy through adulthood.”

In fact, Red Bird is currently partnering with Divine Mercy University to develop a formation program for clergy called “The Good Shepherd.” The goal of the program is to equip seminarians and newly ordained priests with the tools needed to effectively and compassionately pastor to couples grieving miscarriage, infant, and child loss. Such a program, if implemented broadly across the country, would be a huge step in the right direction.

Red Bird also offers a free, virtual retreat on Saturday, October 15, a yearly in-person retreat for both women and men, and an app featuring virtual small groups, webinars, weekly check in calls, and a safe space to share your raw emotions, fears, and doubts.

Beyond Red Bird, other resources include “Mommy To a Little Saint,” a private Facebook group dedicated to miscarriage and infant loss, Heaven’s Gains, an organization that provides caskets, urns, and other resources for pregnancy and infant loss, and Be Not Afraid, a non-profit organization that supports parents who decide to carry their child to term after a prenatal diagnosis.

Women and men who are grieving the loss of a child are sadly under-served in the Catholic Church. But it doesn’t have to stay that way – by supporting organizations who are filling the gap, we can provide these women and men with the love and support they deserve.

Women are the greatest untapped resource in the world, and in the Church. But who is going to take seriously the real issues women face, and explore where faith can empower women's real lives?

At a time when women are leading like never before, FemCatholic is bringing together women from across the country for a day of education, connection, and activation.

Join us October 29, 2022 in Nashville!

Buy tickets to FemCatholic Conference

Tickets are limited due to venue capacity.

Agenda + Speakers

(Please note schedule is subject to change.)

8am -  Registration and Breakfast

9am - "Why Does Feminism Need Catholicism?" - Abigail Favale, Ph.D.

10am - "Women's Health Post-Roe: What's Needed Now?" Panel Discussion

Dr. Denise Montagnino, OBGYN

Abby Jorgensen, Birth & Bereavement Doula

Marcia Lane-McGee, New Wave Feminists

Leah Jacobson, Women's Health Advocate

11am - FemCatholic In Action Together Networking Session - attendee connection + networking on social issues

11:30am - Lunch and Exhibitors Open

              -Lunch + Learns:

"With All Her Mind: A Call to the Intellectual Life" - Rachel Bulman

"Rehumanize: A Vision to Secure Human Rights for All" - Aimee Murphy

1pm - Innovating Media + Women's Voices in the Church - Panel with FemCatholic Team

2pm – Breakouts

"Wants, Needs + Boundaries: How Clear Communication About Intimacy Helps Your Relationship" - Regina Boyd, LHMC

"Finding Purpose + Meaning When Life Doesn't Look How You Expected" - Lillian Fallon

3pm – "Nowhere + Everywhere: Finding a Place in the Tension" - Sr. Josephine Garrett

Lillian Fallon is the Customer Experience Manager at Litany NYC, a Catholic fashion label based in New York. Previously working as the style editor at Verily Magazine, Lillian is passionate about exploring the connection between the physical and interior of the human person as seen through personal style. Believing that sartorial choices can dignify the body and aid in the expression of the soul, Lillian draws from St. Pope John Paul II's Theology of The Body as her primary source of inspiration. She is currently finishing up, Theology of Style, a book based on her findings.

Regina Boyd is the Founder of Boyd Counseling Services, a Catholic licensed mental health practice that provides in-person and virtual services for couples and individuals. She works with clients who are experiencing stress, life changes, desire healthy emotional connection, and seek to develop problem solving strategies within their relationships. Regina is a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist and a Licensed Mental Health Counselor. She is also a featured contributor to the #1 Catholic App, the Hallow app. She lives in Orlando, Florida with her husband of almost 13 years and their beautiful daughter.

Sister Josephine is a native Texan, born and raised in Houston. She graduated from the University of Dallas with a BA in Political Philosophy with a Business Concentration. Sister entered the banking industry, serving for 10 years as a Vice President in the Home Loans division of Bank of America in the roles of Operations Manager of a staff of 200 and later as a Project Manager. 

Sister was raised Baptist and entered the Catholic Church in 2005. Later, in November of 2011, she began her formation to be a religious Sister. In November of 2020 Sister Josephine professed her final vows as a Sister of the Holy Family of Nazareth.

She is a licensed counselor. serving as the school counselor for the cathedral grade school in Tyler, TX, and also in private practice. Sister has also served in vocations ministry and as a national speaker for youth and young adults.

Abigail Favale, Ph.D., is a professor in the McGrath Institute for Church Life at the University of Notre Dame. She has an academic background in gender studies and feminist literary criticism, and now writes and speaks regularly on topics related to women and gender from a Catholic perspective. Her latest book The Genesis of Gender: A Christian Theory was just released in June 2022 by Ignatius Press. Abigail was received into the Catholic Church in 2014, and her conversion memoir, Into the Deep: An Unlikely Catholic Conversion, traces her journey from birthright evangelicalism to postmodern feminism to Roman Catholicism. Abigail's essays and short stories have appeared in print and online for publications such as First Things, The Atlantic, Church Life, and Potomac Review. She was awarded the J.F. Powers Prize for short fiction in 2017. Abigail lives with her husband and four children in South Bend, Indiana.

Location + Hotel

FemCatholic Conference 2022 will be held in Nashville, TN at the Sheraton Music City, a fabulous, award-winning hotel located conveniently next to the Nashville airport with free shuttle service for guests.

Just 15 minutes from downtown Nashville, this year's venue is perfect whether you're coming in for the day or spending an entire girls' weekend around the town.

Stay with us at Sheraton Music City! Conference guests will receive a special room rate of $189/night.

Please  use this special room reservation link or call the hotel to get FemCatholic discounted room pricing. (615-885-2200)

Social Gathering

Friday evening please join us for an informal gathering in the lobby of the hotel Sheraton Music City. More information to follow.

Sunday morning, recommended parish for Mass and brunch - to be announced.

Join us October 29, 2022 in Nashville!

Buy tickets to FemCatholic Conference

Tickets are limited due to venue capacity.

‍

TikTok transformed overnight on August 30, 2022. Suddenly, decorative gourds, infinity scarves, and tributes to the Sanderson sisters were everywhere. The Pumpkin Spice Latte had returned to Starbucks and autumn had (at least on social media) officially begun.

In the nineteen years since its debut, the “PSL” has become a cultural lodestone, inspiring memes, stand up comedy routines, and myriad copycats. Pumpkin spice can be found in candles, cookies, and coffee shops all across the United States. It is, perhaps, no surprise that in those nineteen years, Starbucks’ yearly profits have also grown from $4 billion in 2003 to $26 billion in 2022. 

Coffee With a Conscience? Starbucks Employees Form a Union

Along with that growth has come a reputation for progressive values. Starbucks is known for providing generous benefits to both retail and non-retail employees, like paid time off, health care insurance, and tuition assistance. Alongside its partner benefits, the corporation emphasizes their commitment to a positive social impact, from environmental sustainability to charitable donations and workplace equity. For many, Starbucks has become the golden standard for capitalism with a conscience: a company that improves the standard of living for its employees, works for the global common good, and still turns record profits each year.

Yet since August 2021, the nation’s attention has been captured by the ongoing work of Starbucks Workers United, a labor union of Starbucks employees formed from approximately 220 of the corporation’s stores. The union claims that Starbucks has not lived up to its sterling reputation. Formed in the height of the pandemic when surges in mobile orders were reported to lead to burnout among staff, Starbucks Workers United hopes to ensure workers’ rights around matters like "health and safety conditions . . . seniority rights, leaves of absence rights, benefits, wages,” and more.

Starbucks Union Renews Interest in Workers’ Rights

Starbucks itself has been notably aggressive in its opposition to union activity in its corporate stores. In the past two years, the company has implemented pay raises and added benefits for its retail partners, which have been specifically denied to union stores because the executives claim a need to negotiate a collective bargaining agreement with each individual store.

Furthermore, Starbucks was sued by the National Labor Relations Board for allegedly violating federal law by firing seven employees in Memphis after they spoke to media outlets about their work organizing a local chapter of Starbucks Workers United. The corporation filed a countersuit alleging misconduct by the NLRB and Starbucks Workers United in the union voting process.

The Starbucks unionization battle has reignited an interest in labor rights across the country as Americans grapple with the inequalities made evident by the lingering pandemic. With corporations turning record profits, inflation driving up prices, and minimum wage remaining stagnant, there is a collective examination of what constitutes an ethical workplace and how the average person can make an impact for the common good.

Or, to put it in simpler terms, is buying a Pumpkin Spice Latte right or wrong? And who are we supporting when we do?

What the Church Says About Workers’ Rights

When it comes to ethical questions around labor, Catholic Social Teaching provides key insights. Throughout the last century, Church teaching has consistently upheld the right of workers to organize in unions, the right of employers to private property, the duty of the government to ensure just wages and safe workplaces, and the duty of all economic parties to ensure the common good of all people within their economic activity.

At every turn, the Church’s teaching has focused on two key ideas: the dignity of every human person and the duty to promote the common good. As Pope Benedict XVI writes, “The Church's social doctrine has always maintained that justice must be applied to every phase of economic activity, because this is always concerned with [humans] and [their] needs.” In a Catholic worldview, the role of any person or organization – whether employer, union, or government – is to promote the dignity of the human person and to ensure the common good for all of society.

How Can Consumers Support People and the Common Good?

So how can we apply these principles to the situation playing out between Starbucks and its workers? What can we as consumers do to uphold both the dignity of the human person and the common good?

The answers to these questions require reflection. Read reliable news sources and learn about both the union’s position and the company’s. Pray with the Bible to better understand what God wants for His people. Examine your spending habits and ask yourself whether they reflect your values. Seek input from people whose values you admire.

There is no quick and easy answer to the question of whether to indulge in Pumpkin Spice Lattes or to go without. As consumers, our influence may be limited compared to those who control production or decide how to allot company funds. But our decisions as consumers can influence how companies operate. Each of us must use the wisdom available to us to make the best decisions we can in a world where we can never know everything we wish we could.

Regardless, let’s do our best to support workers. Let’s do our best to purchase from companies that have a positive impact on the common good. Let’s do our best to create a culture where we don’t have to choose between the products we love, the people who make them, and the good of all. Let’s build a world where love and truth will meet and justice and pumpkin spice will kiss.

Have you ever heard that when someone dies, they become an angel? While this is a kind sentiment, it isn’t true. Angels are completely separate beings from humans. Because they are so different from us, they’re a fascinating and at times bizarre reality to learn about. So, what’s the deal with angels and what can we say about them really? We decided to investigate.

What Are Angels, Anyway?

In his book on angels, Peter Kreeft says that angels are “not cute, cuddly, comfortable, chummy, or ‘cool.’ They are fearsome and formidable. They are huge. They are warriors.” Kreeft goes on to offer a specific, helpful definition of angels as bodiless creatures who have both intelligence and free will, and who live in the presence of God, doing His will, and serving as His messengers.

Angels are pure spirit and truly otherworldly. They don’t belong in our physical universe since they don’t have bodies. As such, they’re able to think in a purely rational way. Kreeft explains that they’re “intuitive intelligences” which means that they “just know” and they “contemplate what they know: God, themselves, each other, and us: persons.” They are also capable of love because they can know and desire the good of another.

Without bodies, angels exist outside of space and time. This means that they can be anywhere and everywhere at the same time. It also means that their wills make a permanent choice for or against God, which cannot be changed or reversed. As pure spirit, they choose solely with their intellect, not affected by temptation, circumstance, or ignorance.

Angels were created before our universe was, and they were present at its creation. They will also be present at the end of time, ushering in Jesus’ second coming. In the meantime, angels are present with us every day as guardian angels and at Mass – and even after we die, they’ll live with us in God’s presence in heaven.

What Exactly Do Angels Do?

The term “angel: means “messenger” – and so they are often sent by God with messages, like when Gabriel the Archangel is sent to Mary at the Annunciation. 

When angels appear, they often begin with, “Be not afraid,” which suggests the reaction that they often receive from humans. They aren’t the cute cherubs we see on display on canvases at Hobby Lobby. However, they are beautiful because they are a reflection of God’s beauty and because they’re not affected by sin.

On a cosmic level, Kreeft says that angels stand “at the crossroads where life meets death. They work especially in moments of crisis, at the brink of disaster – for bodies, for souls, and for nations.” Angels always work to achieve God’s will and always work for what is good. They warn, rescue, guide, enlighten, inspire, and protect.

The way in which angels do their work depends on their purpose. In the Bible, the angels are presented nine ranks or “choirs,” which designate their task. The lowest of these ranks is the guardian angels. Every person is assigned a guardian angel, who is always present to them in that role. As Kreeft explains, they serve as both “bodyguards and soulguards,” fighting off evil spirits and temptations and protecting us from harm. Since they do not have bodies and do not exist in space or time, our angels can be both present before God and involved in our daily lives.

Guardian angels are not only assigned to people, but also to communities such as cities, states, and nations. These communal guardian angels are the “principalities” found in the hierarchy of angels. Just like our individual guardian angels, the principalities have tasks or messages to give in human history.

How Do We Talk to Our Guardian Angels?

Our angels often communicate with us interiorly, through our imagination or intuition. We can probably think of a time when we suddenly felt inspired to do the right thing – this was likely our guardian angel! While they may suggest something or enlighten us, they also respect our free will and do not coerce us in our thoughts or actions.

We can communicate with our angels in prayer by revealing our thoughts and requests. They do not read our minds, but rather wait to hear our minds through prayer. Growing up, my abuela used to say that our guardian angels finish our rosaries if we fall asleep. Whether we need them for something specific or not, they’re always ready to listen and help!

While it may feel like a good practice to name your angel, it is not generally recommended. As we develop a personal relationship with our guardian angel, we may feel like we need to know what to call them. However, the Church has a few reasons for discouraging this practice. In many cultures, to name something is to have authority over it, such as when parents name their children, and we don’t have authority over our angels. There are also various points in the Bible when angels are asked for their names, but refuse to give them (Gen 32:24-29, Judges 13:18) revealing that they do not want their name known. Not knowing our angel’s name doesn’t hurt our relationship with them, though – with their intuitive intelligence, they always know when we’re talking to them.

How Do We Know Anything About Angels?

We can read about the existence of angels in various parts of the Bible. Angels appear to Abraham, Mary, and Joseph, to name a few. Jesus also speaks about angels throughout the Gospels, and St. Peter is even released from prison by an angel.

What we know about angels outside of the Bible is primarily found in the work of St. Thomas Aquinas, known as the “Angelic Doctor” for his work on these otherworldly creatures. Most of what we know about angels has its foundation in the work of Aquinas and has been developed over time in a field of theology called angelology (yes, that is a thing!).

While the study of angels has produced many answers to our questions, there will always be more unanswered questions about these mysterious beings. The best we can do is develop our relationship with our own guardian angel, in hopes that we will meet one day in heaven. Until then, we should be careful to“not neglect hospitality, for through it some have unknowingly entertained angels.”

And now that you know more about angels, here’s a prayer you can offer to yours:

Angel sent by God to guide me,
be my light and walk beside me;
be my guardian and protect me;
on the paths of life direct me.
Amen.

Author’s note: It is with deep respect that I approach the topic of Chrissy Teigen’s 2020 pregnancy loss. In fact, despite disagreeing with Teigen’s misuse of the term “abortion,” I would argue that we can learn much from her approach to such tragedy, especially the need for gratitude. As she wrote in response to the huge outpouring of love and support she received, “the worst part is knowing there are so many women that won’t get these quiet moments of joy from strangers. I beg you to please share your stories and to please be kind to those pouring their hearts out. Be kind in general, as some won’t pour them out at all.” It is for these women – and these often hidden conversations – that I wrote this article.

Caring for a Woman with a Placental Abruption

On September 15, 2022, Chrissy Teigen admitted to having had a “life-saving abortion” back in 2020. Up until this recent statement, she had only referred to her child’s death as a miscarriage. In a beautifully poignant letter penned by her in October of 2020, she explains that her pregnancy loss was the result of a placental abruption, a medical condition whereby the placenta detaches from the uterine wall. (The placenta grows during pregnancy and exchanges nutrients and waste between mom and baby. The baby, which grows in a healthy, fluid-filled sac called the amniotic sac, is attached to the placenta via the umbilical cord.)

From an obstetrics standpoint, in the situation of a severe placental abruption like Teigen’s, the mother will continue to bleed excessively, negating the helpfulness of blood transfusions because she cannot stop losing blood. Simply put, the woman cannot survive unless the placenta – including the baby inside – is removed, and so delivery must be induced (usually with the use of Pitocin, a drug which opens up the cervix and helps initiate contractions). Before the 22nd or 23rd week of pregnancy, the baby is not yet viable outside of the womb; but after 23 weeks, there is a chance for survival.

None of this, however, changes the gravity of the circumstances for the other patient: the mother. A mother must be delivered of her baby during a severe placental abruption, or she will lose her life. And so enters the question at hand: Did Teigen actually have an abortion?

Is “Abortion” an Accurate Term for Teigen’s Life-Saving Treatment?

As a female bioethicist specializing in issues related to women’s health, I have learned that in medical situations, when you’ve seen one case, you’ve seen one case. In other words, it is hard to make objective judgments for every aspect of Teigen’s case without having her medical records, nor is that my privileged position to hold. Still, this does not prevent me from stating that her claiming to have had an abortion only intensifies the recent concern of many women: fear of being unable to receive life-saving treatments if needed because of the current illegality of abortion.

In her recent statements, Teigen shared that her husband, John Legend, had brought to her attention that she had had an abortion, and she effectively stated that she no longer wanted to mince her words: “Let's just call it what it was. It was an abortion. An abortion to save my life for a baby that had absolutely no chance.” Here, her use of the word “abortion” only further confuses the issue. She was absolutely right that her baby had no chance, but what has been frustrating for many, including physicians, is this blatant disinformation. While a miscarriage is medically referred to as a “spontaneous abortion,” a miscarriage and the kind of abortions referred to by Roe v. Wade are not the same thing. Teigen is right to admit that she did not have a miscarriage – and the fact remains that she did not have an abortion, either.

Spreading Disinformation About Abortion Harms Women Further

In order to frame this more clearly, I interviewed Dr. Angela Parise, an OB/GYN in New Orleans who has practiced medicine for over 23 years. Parise shared with me the frustration that she has experienced over these last few months as a result of disinformation and argued that referring incorrectly to the care Teigen received as a “life-saving abortion” creates an unnecessary panic for so many women and the men who love them. According to Parise, the media and lack of knowledge is harmful: “It’s the way they twist the picture, and it makes me very upset. It’s an issue for me that they’re not making this distinction because nothing in my practice of medicine for 23+ years – the way I treat a mom who has lost her baby or how I must intervene for pregnancy complications – has changed. You cannot tell me that this law has changed the way I save a mom’s life. That’s not correct.”

As we spoke, Dr. Parise made it clear that she has been trained to treat two patients when she cares for a pregnant woman: mom and baby. When a woman comes in with an abruption, whether at 16 weeks or 38 weeks, “delivery of the baby is the mode.” In other words, the key term here is “delivery,” not “abortion”; the intent is the care of the mother, not the intentional killing of the child. “The new law does not change my ability to perform D & Cs and deal with miscarriages. When a woman is pregnant and an embryo dies [as in a miscarriage within the first trimester], you [the physician] clear out the uterus,” Parise said. An abortion, however, is different; it is the act of “taking a healthy pregnancy and taking it away” when there is no medical need to do so. Such actions are completely unlike those taken during a placental abruption.

“Where it gets tricky [in these circumstances of placental abruption] is the second trimester. If you have a 16-week live baby, beautifully healthy and gorgeous, and mom has a severe situation where she’s bleeding, like a placental abruption… that baby has to be delivered. This forced delivery to save the mother’s life is going to result in fetal death. But that is not the same as an abortion.” As Dr. Parise confirmed in response to Teigen’s case, it was best – medically necessary, even – to deliver Teigen of the child and to save the mother’s life. This action, however, was not a direct abortion: “[Teigen] had time to get an epidural, time to get Pitocin. There was no reason to kill that baby, but its death was the result of the medically necessary care. The result was the baby didn’t make it; not the other way around, that ‘I killed this baby.’”

The Difference Between Life-Saving Treatment and an Actual Abortion

In my own work as an educator and speaker on bioethics, I have realized that many people do not realize that, from a Catholic perspective, this kind of treatment is completely justified. While the Catholic Church is clear that the ends of an action never justify the means, this does not negate an essential principle within her ethical framework: double effect.

The double effect principle comes into play whenever there are two equally important goods, or subjects of great value, to consider in a given action. In this case of placental abruption, the equally important goods are the life of the mom and the life of the baby. The baby cannot survive in these situations without the mother and, regardless of how far along she is, the mother cannot survive if it is severe (as in the case of Teigen). In these cases, any good physician wants to save both lives. As nature has it, however, the mother will lose her life unless she is delivered of her child, and the baby will lose his life if his mother doesn’t survive.

This principle is what Dr. Parise realizes innately as a physician who has been faced with these difficult decisions at various points throughout her career: “If mom is truly 23 weeks and comes in with an abruption, I will do what I do at 41 weeks, 42 weeks. I do the same thing. I save mom; I get out baby. The baby may have died, but we fight for life, not death.”

These issues are difficult because they pull upon things deep inside of us as human beings, and especially as women. Instead of perpetuating confusion by equating life-saving treatment (inducing the early delivery of a baby) with the medical act of direct abortion (the intentional ending of a baby’s life despite no truly life-threatening situations for the mother or the baby), we should educate and empower women so that they realize the difference between life-saving treatment and an actual abortion. All OB/GYNs are trained to recognize this difference and, in these situations, they not only can but must take it into account.

Reassuring Women That They Will Receive the Care They Deserve

In the end, Dr. Parise wanted to highlight the need for truth. In a tone of intellectual honesty and humility, she made clear her professional opinion:

“My care has not changed. I have no fear about doing the exact same care I’ve done for 23 years. This is something I have done since I was a medical student. There has been no deviation [since June]. I value mothers. I value life. I value caring for a mom who is facing a very difficult decision. But when it comes down to it, we’re gonna take care of mom and baby. It’s very disheartening and concerning to me because now patients have so much fear. And they have fear that physicians are not going to offer appropriate medical care when necessary. …In the end, all OB/GYNs have been trained to care for mom and baby, to be able to handle life-threatening situations for mom and baby. This law has not changed giving good quality medical care. My practice has not changed because of the overturning of Roe v. Wade. And we’re not hearing that. We’re hearing everything else.”

Words have power. When it comes to the unexpected loss of a baby, no words can alleviate a woman’s pain. So instead of robbing women of the heartache of losing their child in a completely unintentional way by misappropriating words and referring to these situations as abortions, let’s respect the true meanings of these terms. Let’s make clear the distinction, especially in light of what the Church actually teaches.

The Church’s primary commandment is a commandment of love, and sometimes this love demands that a doctor help a mother deliver her child – a child who cannot survive without her – in order to preserve her life. The value of woman’s life is great. The value of baby’s life is great. The value of good medical care is essential. And as made clear by Dr. Parise, women have every reason to believe that they will indeed receive the care they deserve and in a way that respects the objective circumstances of their baby’s life and the hard decision of sometimes having to let go too soon.