Claire, thank you for writing this. I have been following you quietly for several years now - actually some time after you stopped your podcast and in a space where I felt like my brain could not wrap itself around the shift in Catholic influencers. As a working 34 year old mother of 4, the internet feels like a space difficult to strike a healthy relationship with these days and I am thankful for newsletters that come to my email. How millennial of me. Thank you for exemplifying being unapologetically Catholic and charitable and for women and babies and everyone in between. I so appreciate you.
Claire, I wanted to let you know that your work on the podcast was a Godsend for me at that time in my life. I too felt quite alone in my beliefs, struggled with what it meant to be a Catholic Woman today, was frustrated by superficial discussions and felt like I didn’t have anyone to talk to about these issues. I was so relieved and enlivened to learn I wasn’t the only ‘Catholic feminist’ out there. Thanks for your bravery, openness, and hard work. God Bless.
Co-signing this! I feel like Claire and I “grew up” together, going through very similar seasons of life and wouldn’t you know, I have come to believe many (maybe all) of the Claire Creed, but have not the eloquence to state it so succinctly. Bravo, sister.
As I grow in my spheres as a young Catholic stay-at-home mom, make friends, and spend way more time listening to online chatter than I should, your writing is an absolutely gift. Am I a "Catholic feminist"? Am I conservative, liberal, moderate? Am I traditional or not traditional enough? I know when faithful friends and loved ones say things that feel...wrong... but I struggle to put into words why it feels that way. Am I copping out by not homeschooling? Are they really saying the feminist movement is satanic? Am I crazy? Thank you for being a voice that feels right and that speaks with intelligence, reflection, nuance, and mercy.
Well whatever mistakes you have made, the Holy Spirit used your podcast to drag this ornery and heartbroken sinner to the Catholic Church when I needed it most! I know this is down to God but I need you to know that Catholicism *saved my life* when I was struggling profoundly with PPD and feelings of inadequacy of a mother (on top of a whole lot of other loss trauma and family wounds I won’t get into). Like truly saved me. The meanies can say what they want but you’ve done a lot of good.
What a gift you are, Claire! When I moved my email newsletter to Substack a few years ago, you were among the first people I followed! (Thanks to Tsh Oxenreider, a longtime fave.) I've learned so much about how to be a bold, effective writer and advocate from you, and you've given my newly-Anglican heart a lot to consider about the Church. Maybe you don't consider yourself brave, but there have been moments when I read something you write and think, "Damn, she said the quiet part out loud!" Keep going. May God continue to bless your faithfulness.
Both your poetry and your beliefs speak to this 71 year old who happened upon your writing and has been following you for over a year. I believe you stay true to The Way, Jesus. His work wasn’t easy, could appear messy, but was always done with love. God bless you!
I’m not sure how I found your Substack, but it was sometime in the last year. I am probably outside your “target demographic,” but I wouldn’t know that for how you capture the issues and express your ideas - and how it speaks to my heart. You speak a language of both-and that I have gown to appreciate. (I’m glad for you that you got there at an earlier age than I did.). Thanks for doing what you do so I can feel less alone in my thinking.
This whole thing wrecked me. I was a podcast listener from pretty much the beginning, and I have no idea who doesn’t know what you believe anymore. I think you’ve pretty much been consistent throughout, just learning and nuancing. Your journey so closely matches my own, and I feel like reading your letters is the same as checking in with my college friends as you described.
Your manifesto so closely matches my own. If either of us were still on insta, I’d be sharing the heck out of this. 😂 Praise God for substack and quieter days.
Your poem about Bernadette is AMAZING. Please keep writing and sharing!!
Thanks for writing this and all your writing these past several years. My husband and I frequently discuss how so many of our Catholic friends have become super far right/ rad trad/maga-y or become quite progressive and left the Church all together over the last several years. And sometimes it feels kind of lonely attending Mass every Sunday and just hoping the priest doesn’t praise Trump or diss Pope Francis or a friend doesn’t make a comment about how women shouldn’t never work outside the home. Yet, at work people assume because I care about homelessness and racism, I’m obviously an advocate for abortion and gender affirming care. It feels good to hear from others in the messy middle.
Claire, oh Claire. This brought tears to my eyes and I just wanted to sob. Expressing yourself so unashamedly in your manifesto... I LOVE IT. ❤️ I am 25 yrs older than you and truly admire the maturity in thought and wisdom you have acquired and are open to growing.
So many women only start to realize their individual inner value and respect for their "own" beliefs once they hit my post-menopausal age. If your continued writing aids those in their 20-40's, what a powerful group of women you are helping out!
I keep seeing in your writing how what comes to you arrives from being open to listening and continuing to learn (vs professing to know it all), while maintaining a healthy level of intellectual curiosity and discernment, still being faithful to Our Lord's teachings. I strive for this, especially in the heated moments of wanting to lash out at the latest political nightmare of the day going on....
We can only grow through our trials. And our passions change as we realize that it's okay and appropriate to be exactly who we are to be. Bless you on your continued journey of letting God work in you and through you. 🫂🙏. (Apologies if this sounds a bit too rambly
Bravo! I am considerably older than you are (you are the same age as my children), and I have been impressed and inspired by your writing. I will keep you in my prayers - such a challenge in this day and age to keep our focus on Jesus! So many voices, and so many distractions...
As a 32 year old that did not grow up with Faith and just joined the Catholic Church two years ago - I really appreciate your candor, vulnerability, authenticity, and “both-and” approach. Life is not black and white, and it’s refreshing to follow a voice that values this perspective. I have yet to find a tribe of women like you describe, but I so deeply feel that connection through your writing. I gave up the gram for Lent and have found such serenity leaning on letters such as yours instead. Thanks for sharing your heart and keeping it real. It’s hella inspiring. Keep going sister. 👊
I am a relatively new subscriber (6 months or so). Appreciate your writing, Claire. I share many of the stances in your manifesto and appreciate its internal coherence, a quality that is very lacking in so many people's opinion sets today. At times, my own thoughts have been clarified by what I read, some other times I've gained a new good argument for a position I hold. But always, I feel less alone, like there are at least a few women out there who recognize one can be a completely faithful Catholic and also a feminist, not letting either militant progressives nor right-wing Catholics nor men of the "manosphere" define what it means to be a feminist.
I am glad you are no longer an internet "influencer". I have come to hate that word. The whole idea of letting oneself be influenced by people on the internet. It suggests a certain mindlessness to me, a willingness to be told how to think and live. We all need to do much less following, much more pondering. One of my all-time favorite quotes is from Socrates: "The unexamined life is not worth living". Sadly, that is the life most Americans seem to be living.
This was such a great read :) your podcast was and likely always will be my favorite. I loved it so much. I have to say I sometimes don’t read these letters because they’re long and I don’t want to spend so much time on my phone. I wonder if you could make audio versions of these letters, just you reading them out loud? It might feel a tiny bit like the old podcasting days 😍😂 and if you don’t take this suggestion, I’ll still always follow along! Thanks Claire for all your hard work and sharing your heart with us💜
Claire, thank you for writing this. I have been following you quietly for several years now - actually some time after you stopped your podcast and in a space where I felt like my brain could not wrap itself around the shift in Catholic influencers. As a working 34 year old mother of 4, the internet feels like a space difficult to strike a healthy relationship with these days and I am thankful for newsletters that come to my email. How millennial of me. Thank you for exemplifying being unapologetically Catholic and charitable and for women and babies and everyone in between. I so appreciate you.
Claire, I wanted to let you know that your work on the podcast was a Godsend for me at that time in my life. I too felt quite alone in my beliefs, struggled with what it meant to be a Catholic Woman today, was frustrated by superficial discussions and felt like I didn’t have anyone to talk to about these issues. I was so relieved and enlivened to learn I wasn’t the only ‘Catholic feminist’ out there. Thanks for your bravery, openness, and hard work. God Bless.
Co-signing this! I feel like Claire and I “grew up” together, going through very similar seasons of life and wouldn’t you know, I have come to believe many (maybe all) of the Claire Creed, but have not the eloquence to state it so succinctly. Bravo, sister.
As I grow in my spheres as a young Catholic stay-at-home mom, make friends, and spend way more time listening to online chatter than I should, your writing is an absolutely gift. Am I a "Catholic feminist"? Am I conservative, liberal, moderate? Am I traditional or not traditional enough? I know when faithful friends and loved ones say things that feel...wrong... but I struggle to put into words why it feels that way. Am I copping out by not homeschooling? Are they really saying the feminist movement is satanic? Am I crazy? Thank you for being a voice that feels right and that speaks with intelligence, reflection, nuance, and mercy.
Well whatever mistakes you have made, the Holy Spirit used your podcast to drag this ornery and heartbroken sinner to the Catholic Church when I needed it most! I know this is down to God but I need you to know that Catholicism *saved my life* when I was struggling profoundly with PPD and feelings of inadequacy of a mother (on top of a whole lot of other loss trauma and family wounds I won’t get into). Like truly saved me. The meanies can say what they want but you’ve done a lot of good.
What a gift you are, Claire! When I moved my email newsletter to Substack a few years ago, you were among the first people I followed! (Thanks to Tsh Oxenreider, a longtime fave.) I've learned so much about how to be a bold, effective writer and advocate from you, and you've given my newly-Anglican heart a lot to consider about the Church. Maybe you don't consider yourself brave, but there have been moments when I read something you write and think, "Damn, she said the quiet part out loud!" Keep going. May God continue to bless your faithfulness.
Both your poetry and your beliefs speak to this 71 year old who happened upon your writing and has been following you for over a year. I believe you stay true to The Way, Jesus. His work wasn’t easy, could appear messy, but was always done with love. God bless you!
I’m not sure how I found your Substack, but it was sometime in the last year. I am probably outside your “target demographic,” but I wouldn’t know that for how you capture the issues and express your ideas - and how it speaks to my heart. You speak a language of both-and that I have gown to appreciate. (I’m glad for you that you got there at an earlier age than I did.). Thanks for doing what you do so I can feel less alone in my thinking.
This whole thing wrecked me. I was a podcast listener from pretty much the beginning, and I have no idea who doesn’t know what you believe anymore. I think you’ve pretty much been consistent throughout, just learning and nuancing. Your journey so closely matches my own, and I feel like reading your letters is the same as checking in with my college friends as you described.
Your manifesto so closely matches my own. If either of us were still on insta, I’d be sharing the heck out of this. 😂 Praise God for substack and quieter days.
Your poem about Bernadette is AMAZING. Please keep writing and sharing!!
Thanks for writing this and all your writing these past several years. My husband and I frequently discuss how so many of our Catholic friends have become super far right/ rad trad/maga-y or become quite progressive and left the Church all together over the last several years. And sometimes it feels kind of lonely attending Mass every Sunday and just hoping the priest doesn’t praise Trump or diss Pope Francis or a friend doesn’t make a comment about how women shouldn’t never work outside the home. Yet, at work people assume because I care about homelessness and racism, I’m obviously an advocate for abortion and gender affirming care. It feels good to hear from others in the messy middle.
SAME for me! Your posts are an oasis, Claire, and I believe you have been consistent. Keep up the amazing work!
Claire, oh Claire. This brought tears to my eyes and I just wanted to sob. Expressing yourself so unashamedly in your manifesto... I LOVE IT. ❤️ I am 25 yrs older than you and truly admire the maturity in thought and wisdom you have acquired and are open to growing.
So many women only start to realize their individual inner value and respect for their "own" beliefs once they hit my post-menopausal age. If your continued writing aids those in their 20-40's, what a powerful group of women you are helping out!
I keep seeing in your writing how what comes to you arrives from being open to listening and continuing to learn (vs professing to know it all), while maintaining a healthy level of intellectual curiosity and discernment, still being faithful to Our Lord's teachings. I strive for this, especially in the heated moments of wanting to lash out at the latest political nightmare of the day going on....
We can only grow through our trials. And our passions change as we realize that it's okay and appropriate to be exactly who we are to be. Bless you on your continued journey of letting God work in you and through you. 🫂🙏. (Apologies if this sounds a bit too rambly
Bravo! I am considerably older than you are (you are the same age as my children), and I have been impressed and inspired by your writing. I will keep you in my prayers - such a challenge in this day and age to keep our focus on Jesus! So many voices, and so many distractions...
As a 32 year old that did not grow up with Faith and just joined the Catholic Church two years ago - I really appreciate your candor, vulnerability, authenticity, and “both-and” approach. Life is not black and white, and it’s refreshing to follow a voice that values this perspective. I have yet to find a tribe of women like you describe, but I so deeply feel that connection through your writing. I gave up the gram for Lent and have found such serenity leaning on letters such as yours instead. Thanks for sharing your heart and keeping it real. It’s hella inspiring. Keep going sister. 👊
Claire, keep it coming! We desperately need more voices like yours in the Church. You're real, authentic and perfectly strike all the high notes.
That last line of the poem. Gosh, that is Lourdes. ❤️
When I say one of the deepest 2 days of my life I am not exaggerating.
I am a relatively new subscriber (6 months or so). Appreciate your writing, Claire. I share many of the stances in your manifesto and appreciate its internal coherence, a quality that is very lacking in so many people's opinion sets today. At times, my own thoughts have been clarified by what I read, some other times I've gained a new good argument for a position I hold. But always, I feel less alone, like there are at least a few women out there who recognize one can be a completely faithful Catholic and also a feminist, not letting either militant progressives nor right-wing Catholics nor men of the "manosphere" define what it means to be a feminist.
I am glad you are no longer an internet "influencer". I have come to hate that word. The whole idea of letting oneself be influenced by people on the internet. It suggests a certain mindlessness to me, a willingness to be told how to think and live. We all need to do much less following, much more pondering. One of my all-time favorite quotes is from Socrates: "The unexamined life is not worth living". Sadly, that is the life most Americans seem to be living.
This was such a great read :) your podcast was and likely always will be my favorite. I loved it so much. I have to say I sometimes don’t read these letters because they’re long and I don’t want to spend so much time on my phone. I wonder if you could make audio versions of these letters, just you reading them out loud? It might feel a tiny bit like the old podcasting days 😍😂 and if you don’t take this suggestion, I’ll still always follow along! Thanks Claire for all your hard work and sharing your heart with us💜