Interviews - The Catholic Woman

Affirming the goodness, unrepeatability, and dignity of every woman for the redemption of humankind and the Church

Finding Myself in My Relationship with God

Finding Myself in My Relationship with God

In my experience, comparing myself to others has been an exhausting pursuit that has left me feeling void of everything that makes me unique. While my insecurities and social media, at times, have left me feeling ungrateful for the many wonderful things in my life, there’s a beauty in it too. Every time I see a photo of a newborn baby, a friend who just graduated/or got promoted, or wedding photos of life long lovers, I am reminded that God wants my life to be filled with these breathtaking/joyful moments…

Bethany SpringelmeyerSeptember 22, 2020Freedom, IndividualityComment

Discovering the Truth of Who I Am

Discovering the Truth of Who I Am

This past year I found myself in a vulnerable head and heart space. I began comparing myself to people on social media without even realizing it. I only noticed that I was doing this when I had trouble feeling happy about the success of even my closest friends, almost as if I had trained my mind to put myself down even in the face of the people who love me the most.

Bethany SpringelmeyerSeptember 15, 2020Self-worth, Freedom, IndividualityComment

Becoming Free In My Individuality

Becoming Free In My Individuality

Growing up I was always an odd kid. I didn’t learn how to properly read until 5th grade, I had unique interests, and I was the only girl amongst my 3 brothers, making it hard to understand and relate to other girls my age. Those whispers of self-doubt festered throughout adolescence and still to this day, can creep into my mind with false insecurities. “You’re not bright,” “You don’t know your career path,” “You’re not a ‘traditionally feminine; Catholic woman”...

Bethany SpringelmeyerSeptember 8, 2020Self-worth, Freedom, IndividualityComment

Accepting My Belovedness

Accepting My Belovedness

I would classify myself as the queen of comparison. The more I grow in my relationship with God the less I struggle with it, but the temptation is still there. The devil loves comparison. One of my catch phrases could probably be “comparison is the thief of joy.” It is present in everything and I think that everyone struggles with it starting with Adam and Eve.

Bethany SpringelmeyerSeptember 1, 2020Self-worthComment

Help My Unbelief

Help My Unbelief

We can take comfort in knowing that unbelief is not a failure on our part but a very real experience of a life lived in faith. All that Jesus asks of us in the midst of unbelief is that we come to him, as the father in Mark’s gospel, let Him care for us, for He is the “pioneer and perfecter of our faith” (CCC, 165). In this series, women will talk about their experience of unbelief, where they found hope in spite of doubt, and how Jesus drew them closer to Himself in the midst of it.

Bethany SpringelmeyerAugust 18, 2020Unbelief, Staying CatholicComment

The Wanderer’s Return

The Wanderer’s Return

Unfortunately, I began to doubt in the truth and authenticity of the Gospels and the Church.

In His gentleness and mercy, Christ allowed me to wrestle with him during this time but never let me go. Through good Christian friendships, the steadfast love and faith of my family and my own desire to arrive at truth and love I saw what I was looking for in Christ and in his Church.

Bethany SpringelmeyerAugust 18, 2020Trust in God, Unbelief, Staying Catholic Comment

An Unbelief Built On Pride

An Unbelief Built On Pride

I finally had to face the light and recognize I’d never encountered God, only learned about Him and used Him as a way to feel special. This recognition initiated a thirst and I began to pray “Lord, help me want to want you”.

Bethany SpringelmeyerAugust 11, 2020Trust in God, Unbelief, Staying CatholicComment

Comfort for an Anxious Heart

Comfort for an Anxious Heart

I’ve always believed in God, and when I was about 16 I began to know Jesus in a personal way, and that started to change my life. However, I’ve always been an anxious person and that has always played a part in my faith journey. I’ve found it hard to believe that I can trust God, that He wants good things for me and that He is actually leading me. I also did not believe that God could heal me, I believed I would be like this for ever.

Bethany SpringelmeyerAugust 4, 2020Trust in God, Unbelief, Staying Catholic Comment

Thy Will Be Done: Life After College

Thy Will Be Done: Life After College

In an era dedicated to the empowerment of women and their femininity, it is easy to fall under the pressure of needing to fit some vague and ambiguous mold that conveys “I’m successful.” However, here at The Catholic Woman, we understand that every woman’s greatness and true success lies within her own personal fiat to the unique vocation God invites her to and wills for her life.

Bethany SpringelmeyerJuly 21, 2020Discernment, Life After CollegeComment

Life After College as a Hall Director

Life After College as a Hall Director

Set specific goals for yourself and do something intentional each day to reach that goal. It’s so easy to stay in your comfort zone or only focus on your day to day life without looking at your next steps.

Bethany SpringelmeyerJuly 21, 2020Life After CollegeComment

Life After College as a Campus Minister

Life After College as a Campus Minister

Remember God has blessed you and guided you this far and he's not going to stop. Trust in him. Have a habit of prayer and you will know when it's time to leave or stay.

Bethany SpringelmeyerJuly 14, 2020Life After CollegeComment

Serving the Lord as a Missionary

Serving the Lord as a Missionary

My career has turned out wildly different than I ever imagined. For many years, I planned to become a high school social studies teacher. God, however, had other plans. After serving as a missionary for three years, He has called me to continue to serve the Church by working in ministry.

Bethany SpringelmeyerJuly 7, 2020Life After CollegeComment

Discerning the Next Step as a Grad Student

Discerning the Next Step as a Grad Student

The best advice I ever got was from a professor who said “Don’t worry about what you want to do with your life. Just worry about what you want to do next.” Ask yourself what you want to do next, and go for it! God knows you better than you know yourself, and He will open and close doors for you.

Bethany SpringelmeyerJune 30, 2020Life After College, Vocation, St. Rose of Lima, God's Plan Comment

Being a Witness to Christianity After College

Being a Witness to Christianity After College

My faith blossomed in college because I attended the University of Dallas, a Catholic university that fostered an environment for young adults to take ownership of their faith. After graduation, I had to work hard to stay consistent in my faith.

Bethany SpringelmeyerJune 23, 2020Life After College, Vocation, Witness Comment

Personal Style: A Unique Expression of God's Heart

Personal Style: A Unique Expression of God's Heart

Modesty isn’t the end goal - the person is. And the person reveals a very specific aspect of the Heart of God that only that one person encapsulates in that unique way. Fashion is a way to express that in the most intimate way- by what we wrap our bodies in.

Bethany SpringelmeyerMay 19, 2020Ethical Fashion, Personal Style, God's Heart, Sacrament Comments

Ethical and Dignified Fashion

Ethical and Dignified Fashion

In our contemporary culture of feminine empowerment, there are many perspectives about what women should and should not do with their bodies, and, within that vein, what women should and should not wear. We asked three Catholic women about their love for fashion, their journey to cultivate a wardrobe that expresses their person and upholds their beliefs, and how so much of it comes back to their faith.

Corynne StaresinicMay 19, 2020Ethical Fashion, Catholic femininity, Dignity, Solidarity Comment

A Designer's Search for God's Beauty

A Designer's Search for God's Beauty

As human persons, we are not merely a body, nor are we a soul “trapped” inside of a body. Our Catholic faith teaches us that we are body and soul composites, that both body and soul are integral, beautiful and capable of becoming divine.

Purity of HeartCorynne StaresinicMay 12, 2020Authenticity, Ethical Fashion, Beauty, Personal StyleComment

Ethical Fashion in Light of Theology of the Body

Ethical Fashion in Light of Theology of the Body

As human persons, we are not merely a body, nor are we a soul “trapped” inside of a body. Our Catholic faith teaches us that we are body and soul composites, that both body and soul are integral, beautiful and capable of becoming divine.

Bethany SpringelmeyerMay 5, 2020Authenticity, Theology of the Body, Ethical Fashion, Creativity, Dignity, St. John Paul II, Personal Style Comments

A Missionary's Path to Purity of Heart

A Missionary's Path to Purity of Heart

Two years ago, I would have had a warped sense of what “purity of heart” meant. For me, cultivating a pure heart means first understanding my heart! It’s funny how I’ve lived my life for twenty-three years while, for the majority of it, being so blind to who I truly am. For so long, I didn’t understand what it meant to be me.

Purity of HeartCorynne StaresinicApril 9, 2020Purity of Heart, Missionary, Authenticity, Self-knowledge, Vulnerability, Understanding, St. Mother Teresa, The Peace of ChristComment

A Wife’s Path to Purity of Heart

A Wife’s Path to Purity of Heart

I believe that in order to be pure of heart, we must live a life of authenticity. I strive to be the most authentic version of myself by putting aside the (too often given into) influence of our society’s culture — and I’m not just talking about the twitter posts that tell us who we are and what we need to believe!

Purity of HeartCorynne StaresinicApril 8, 2020Authenticity, Unfailing Love, Healing, Relationships, Prayer Life, God's timingComment