{ e a r ne stly }
seeking ANSWERS Founder of The Catholic Woman Brings the Truth of Feminine Genius to the World BY KATIE SCIBA
Before converting to Catholicism, Corynne Staresinic believed common misconceptions derived from “cheap caricatures” of Catholicism about women in the Church, particularly, the notion that a faithful Catholic woman’s destiny lays either in stern religious life or focused entirely on serving men and producing children. Staresinic had wondered how any woman would feel truly welcome in this environment. “Women are given so many different narratives,” Staresinic said. Earnestly seeking answers, she discovered she was in holy company with other women and men who both affirmed women’s actual roles in the Church and inspired her online platform, which spreads the message that every woman has a valued place in the Catholic Church. Her misgivings were answered through Pope St. John Paul II’s Letter to Women and online Catholic resources. “I was on Catholic Answers all the time and watching ‘Journey Home’ by EWTN.” These resources brought clarity to this new Catholic who had myriad questions. “I found stories of people coming to the faith from any and every background and I saw I wasn’t alone.” 1 8 | THE CATHOLIC TE LEGRAPH
Staresinic quickly discovered that each person’s identity was fulfilled, not suppressed, when pursuing holiness. “Christ offers us the true narrative of who we are as women. We’re empowered by Christ,” she said. “The media helped me while I was working through all of this on my own.” These discoveries and new understandings led her to found The Catholic Woman, an online apostolate launched by Staresinic and her husband to bring the truth of feminine genius to the world. Through stories and letters from Catholic women, free minidocumentaries, and a book published just last year, The Catholic Woman bolsters readers’ faith experiences, conveying that Jesus comes to them in their particular circumstances. Its website, thecatholicwoman.co, underscores the apostolate’s mission to “foster a sense of belonging amongst millennial Catholic women by illustrating the many faces and vocations of women in the Church so that each and every one of them is inspired to intentionally live out their faith.” “I’ve realized for myself that God wants to meet us personally where we are. He wants me and loves me and has a story for my life. I’ve been moved to better consider that God calls us to unity as Catholic women, not uniformity,” said Staresinic.
