Episode 21: Dr. Carrie Gress – The Marian Option

Thriving in the Trenches a Catholic Podcast

Living in this post Christian culture, many have offered options for us to live out the Gospel and to fight this civilization of decay. This week’s guest, Dr. Carrie Gress, offers us an option with plenty of historical success. The Marian Option is rooted in the tradition of going to Our Blessed Mother who has fought and won plenty of wars in the past and brought about massive conversion through her intercession. We know we can’t all head to the hills and ignore what is going on in the world, but we can choose to live out our dynamic feminine gifts focusing on this virtue of meekness. We are not talking about becoming a doormat as the culture wrongfully imposes on this Christian idea of meekness – meekness is certainly not weakness. We hope you are encouraged and exhorted to go to Mary to see how she is asking you to become more like her son, Jesus.

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Our Guest:

Carrie Gress has a doctorate in philosophy from the Catholic University of America and is a faculty member at Pontifex University.

Dr. Gress is a regular blogger at The National Catholic Register and has written for Aleteia, Catholic Vote, Catholic World Report, The Federalist, and The Stream, She is a frequent guest on Ave Maria Radio, EWTN Radio, and Relevant Radio, and has appeared on BBC, CBC, and EWTN television.

Dr. Gress has lived and worked professionally in Washington, D.C. and Rome, Italy and her work has been translated into seven languages.

She is the author of Nudging Conversions: A Practical Guide to Bringing Those You Love Back to the Church, Ultimate Makeover: The Transforming Power of Motherhoodand co-author with George Weigel of City of Saints; A Pilgrim’s Guide to John Paul II’s Krakow. Her latest book, The Marian Option: God’s Solution to a Civilization in Crisis, was released May, 2017.

A homeschooling mother of four, Dr. Gress and her family live in Virginia. You can find links to Carrie’s articles, books, and speaker information at CarrieGress.com

Show Notes:

• Carrie’s Amazon Author page where you can purchase any of her books.
• Warriors and Worriers and the Battle of the Sexes by Joyce Benenson
• National Catholic Register – Carrie Gress
• Anti-Mary blog post by Carrie
• National Geographic May 2015 – How the Virgin Mary Became the Most Powerful Woman in the World
• St. Francis de Sales – Geneva, Switzerland

Call to Action –

Let us all seek to readjust our mindset around this word meek. Let’s think on the description of this virtue of womanhood with the words benevolent, kind, humble, and unassuming. And as St. Francis de Sales encourages us, let us start with those who are our closest comapanions.

Scripture –

“He leads the humble in what is right, and teaches the humble his way.” – Psalm 25:9

Saint Quote –

“Let us strive to be kind, meek, and humble with everyone, but especially so with those whom God destined to be our companions. Let us not be one of those who are angels in public and devils at home” – St. Francis de Sales