The Occult Roots of Feminism They Never Want You to Know
Guest: Dr. Carrie Gress
Episode: 97
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In this episode of Purposely Catholic, we had the wonderful opportunity to sit down with Dr. Carrie Gress.
She is a scholar at the Institute for Human Ecology at Catholic University of America, the editor of the online women's magazine Theology of Home, a mother of five, and a woman who has spent years thoughtfully exploring the deep questions that modern culture often misses.
Her latest book, Something Wicked: Why Feminism Can’t Be Fused with Christianity, invites us to look beneath the surface of modern movements to find what truly helps a woman’s heart flourish.
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The Journey Toward Authentic Femininity
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Dr. Gress shares her own journey with us, growing up in a very liberal environment in Oregon and eventually realizing that the secular promises of happiness weren’t delivering. She realized that for many, the core of feminism isn't just about equal rights or education. Instead, it is often a search for total autonomy and radical individualism. It is an attempt to protect ourselves from the vulnerabilities that come with fertility, family, and deep relationships.
While the desire for safety is natural, Carrie explains how this path can actually lead us away from the beautiful, sacrificial love that God intended for us.
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Uncovering a Hidden History
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One of the most eye opening parts of our conversation explores the history that many of us never learned and one which is certainly not a part of the popular narrative. Carrie traces the roots of the movement back to figures like Mary Wollstonecraft and Elizabeth Cady Stanton. She points out that these founders often rejected the idea of any mediator between a woman and God, including Jesus Christ himself. Some even turned to the occult or seances for guidance. This history reveals a "shadow church" that mimics the faith but replaces the virtues of faith, hope, and love with a culture of contempt, rage, and envy.
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The Heartbreak of an Inverted Eucharist
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Perhaps the most moving and challenging part of the discussion is how this ideology has affected our view of the body and the painful "inversion" of the Eucharist. While Jesus tells us, "This is my body, given for you," the feminist creed has often come to mean, "This is my body, offered up for me." This mindset sees a child as an obstacle to autonomy rather than a gift to be cherished. This is why Dr. Gress suggests that to truly build a culture of life, we must reclaim a vision of womanhood that is not a mimicry of men but a unique and vital calling.​​
“To a great extent the level of any civilization is the level of its womanhood. When a man loves a woman, he has to become worthy of her. The higher her virtue, the more noble her character, the more devoted she is to truth, justice, goodness, the more a man has to aspire to be worthy of her. The history of civilization could actually be written in terms of the level of its women.”
Venerable Fulton J. Sheen
The Power of Virtue and Grace
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But there is so much hope in this message. Dr. Gress sees a beautiful shift happening, especially among younger women. Many are tired of the "girl boss" narrative and the exhaustion of trying to "have it all" by working two full time jobs, one in the office and one at home. They are looking for something more stable and more meaningful.
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The antidote to the confusion of our times is a return to virtue. As Dr. Gress reminds us, a woman is meant to be a "vessel" of grace. Just like a church provides a place of solace, life, and safety, a woman’s goodness has the power to elevate everyone around her. When we embrace our maternal instincts and the tenderness of heart that God gave us, we don't just find ourselves. We help the whole world flourish.
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Walking Toward a Hopeful Future
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Whether you are a mother, a student, or someone simply looking for clarity in a noisy world, we hope this conversation brings you peace. God’s design for us is not a burden, it is a path to the happiness we were made for.
Want to dive deeper? Pick up a copy of Dr. Carrie Gress’s new book, Something Wicked, published by Sophia Institute Press or explore more of her work at Theology of Home.
Recommended Resources
Something Wicked: Why Feminism Can’t Be Fused with Christianity - Dr. Carrie Gress
The Anti-Mary Exposed - Dr. Carrie Gress
Mulieris Dignitatem - St. John Paul II
Three to Get Married - Ven. Fulton J. Sheen