Catholic Women Now

What if understanding your hormones could bring you closer to God? Julie Nelson and Chris Magruder welcome Jamie Rathjen, fertility care practitioner, certified Creighton Model instructor, and founder of the Fiat Institute, for a faith-filled conversation on women's health, fertility awareness, and the genius of how God designed the female body. In this episode: Jamie's fiat moment: How her Univer...

A testimony that starts in high school Christie Walker opens up about believing "the lie as old as time" — that she needed alcohol to belong. What began at teenage parties escalated through her early twenties until a roommate and a boss told her plainly that she was going to lose her job and her home. She pursued outpatient treatment at 22, went back out drinking, and then made the decision that s...

What temperance actually is Julie Nelson opens by admitting her first mental image of temperance was a fire-and-brimstone preacher dumping cigarettes and liquor into the river. Chris Magruder says that's exactly the misunderstanding worth correcting. The Catechism of the Catholic Church (CCC 1809) describes temperance as the moral virtue that moderates the attraction of pleasures, provides balance...

Meeting God in the Everyday Fr. Luke Doyle joins Catholic Women Now to talk about his first book, Priest in the Wild: Stories of Meeting God in the Everyday , published by Ascension . Fr. Luke explains that he didn't write the book to tell readers how to be holy, but to invite them into the countless ways Jesus approaches us in ordinary moments. He names "self-made aloneness" as one of the great l...

Julie and Chris spend the full show unpacking Kim Schadt's list of more than 20 practical ways to love your husband and renew your marriage, encouraging listeners to pick just one or two habits a week rather than trying to do everything at once. Prayer and Spiritual Life The hosts start with the spiritual foundation: praying for your husband daily, offering the Eucharist on his behalf, protecting...

A Story Continued Katlyn first joined the show in February to share how she lost her husband, Riley, in a car accident at just 28 years old, leaving her to raise their 8-month-old daughter, Chloe, alone. Today's episode picks up from there — her remarriage, the birth of her son, and how it all led her into the Catholic Church. Falling in Love Again Katlyn talks candidly about the courage it took t...

On this unplugged episode of Catholic Women Now , hosts Julie Nelson and Chris Magruder set aside their usual guest format for a coffee-chat-style conversation about the prayers and novenas that have carried them through hard seasons, and the miracles they've witnessed along the way. The Rosary Group That Keeps Growing Julie shares how her parish rosary group at St. Francis of Assisi Catholic Chur...

Actor Alex Zuko pulls up a chair at the coffee table to share how a five-month trip to India turned into a full Catholic reversion, and how that journey eventually led him to play a grieving priest in the award-winning short film "A Great Day." Julie Nelson and Chris Magruder talk with Alex about forgiveness, the sacraments, and the surprising miracle that saved one of the film's most powerful sce...

Meet Jeannine Peters Jeannine Peters is a certified spiritual director with an MA in Religion and Religious Education from Providence College and an MA in Theology from The Catholic University of America. She is certified in Theology of the Body through the Theology of the Body Institute, trained in Unbound Healing Prayer through Heart of the Father Ministries, and holds a certificate in Spiritual...

In this inspiring conversation, Cindy discusses: Growing up in a traditional Jewish family The challenges of exploring Christianity How God revealed Jesus as the promised Messiah Baptism in the Holy Spirit and entering the Catholic Church Family struggles, reconciliation, and God's providence Her passion for defending life and serving the Church Whether you're a lifelong Catholic, a convert, or si...

Meet Sam Halligan Sam Halligan is the city director of Forge in Des Moines, Iowa. A Des Moines native (Saint Pius X and Dowling Catholic) who spent a decade serving with the young-adult mission Damascus, Sam and his wife, Whitney, recently moved back home with their kids. He shares the John 2:5 verse — "Do whatever he tells you" — that has anchored his marriage and their mission-driven family. Wha...

This week on Catholic Women Now, hosts Julie Nelson and Chris Magruder open with a reflection on the Encounter Conference, a Catholic ministry event in Brighton, Michigan focused on healing, prophetic prayer, and encountering the Holy Spirit. Both hosts share personal healing testimonies from the conference before welcoming their guest. Meet Jane White Jane White is a wife, mother of four, grandmo...

After nearly two decades as a certified yoga instructor — including as an Ashtanga teacher — Linda Carl had a conversion moment that changed everything. When she opened Scripture to 1 Corinthians 10, the call was clear: leave yoga entirely. What followed was years of untangling herself from a spiritual web she hadn't fully recognized while she was in it. What Linda Covers in This Episode: Why yoga...

A Cradle Catholic's Long Road Home Tim Francis grew up in New Carlisle, Ohio, in a faithful Catholic household — but by the time he reached college at Ohio State, the faith took a back seat to partying and eventually substance abuse. His journey into addiction in his early twenties set him on a dark path that would last years. The Mom Who Kept Praying While Tim was drifting, his mother Patricia An...

Julie Nelson and Chris Magruder welcome Josh Wood, Executive Director of Them Before Us , a nonprofit giving children a voice in cultural and legislative conversations that too often prioritize adult desires over kids' needs. What is Them Before Us? Founded in response to the 2012–2015 cultural shift around same-sex marriage, Them Before Us uses social science research to make the case that childr...

Julie Nelson and Chris Magruder sit down with Stephanie Parks — Director of Campus Ministry at Dowling Catholic High School in Des Moines and co-author of Michelle Duppong: Hope in the Depths of Suffering (written with Patti Armstrong) — to tell the story of a modern woman whose life and death are captivating the Church. Who Was Michelle Duppong? Born in 1984 and raised on a North Dakota farm, Mic...

How does the Old Testament point directly to Jesus Christ? This week on Catholic Women Now, Julie Nelson and Chris Magruder welcome renowned Catholic speaker and teacher Barbara Heil for a fascinating discussion on “types and shadows” in Sacred Scripture. Barbara explains how the people, symbols, events, and imagery of the Old Testament foreshadow the realities fulfilled in Christ and the Catholic...

How can getting dressed become an act of prayer? This week on Catholic Women Now, Julie Nelson and Chris Magruder welcome Mary D. Harper, theologian, speaker, and author of The Liturgical Style Guide . Mary shares how fashion, beauty, color, textiles, and even accessories can reflect the liturgical seasons and draw us deeper into our Catholic faith. From Pentecost pinks and Sacred Heart reds to sa...

Why praise is deeply Catholic The Mass as a “sacrifice of praise” Catechism 2649 and the meaning of praise prayer How praise renews the mind and calms anxiety Scripture reflections on praise, including Acts 16 Personal testimonies of God working through praise Simple ways to begin praising God daily The connection between praise, peace, and spiritual renewal Iowa Catholic Radio Network Shows: Be N...

Iowa Catholic Radio Network Shows: Be Not Afraid with Fr. Fabian Moncada and Fr. Bruce Riebe Be Not Afraid in Spanish with Fr. Fabian Moncada Catholic Women Now with Chris Magruder and Julie Nelson Making It Personal with Bishop William Joensen Man Up! with Joe Stopulos Sunday Dive with Katie Patrizio The Catholic Morning Show with Dr. Bo Bonner The Daily Gospel Reflection with Fr. Nick Smith The...

What does it mean to truly listen—not just hear, but encounter another person with the heart of Christ? In this episode of Catholic Women Now , hosts Julie Nelson and Chris McGruder explore the powerful concept of sacred listening . Drawing from spiritual direction, Scripture, and everyday life, Julie shares how listening is not just a skill—but a grace that invites healing, dignity, and deeper re...

On this episode of Catholic Women Now , hosts Julie Nelson and Chris Magruder sit down with Chantel Howard to explore the beauty, dignity, and formation of young women through her initiative, the Catholic Finishing School. Inspired by a desire to restore authentic femininity in a culture often confused about identity, Chantel shares how her program equips girls ages 14–19 with confidence, virtue,...

Iowa Catholic Radio Network Shows: - Be Not Afraid with Fr. Fabian Moncada and Fr. Bruce Riebe - Be Not Afraid in Spanish with Fr. Fabian Moncada - Catholic Women Now with Chris Magruder and Julie Nelson - Making It Personal with Bishop William Joensen - Man Up! with Joe Stopulos - Sunday Dive with Katie Patrizio - The Catholic Morning Show with Dr. Bo Bonner - The Daily Gospel Reflection with Fr....

On this episode of Catholic Women Now , Chris Magruder and guest co-host Leslie Teeling welcome back Deborah Colloton for a deeper discussion on infertility, IVF, and the growing movement toward restorative reproductive medicine. Building on last week’s conversation, Deborah explains how restorative reproductive care works by identifying and treating the root causes of infertility for both men and...

On this episode of Catholic Women Now , Chris Magruder and substitute co-host Leslie Teeling sit down with Deborah Colloton to tackle a sensitive but important topic: infertility and reproductive technologies. Deborah shares her personal journey through infertility and how it led her to discover restorative reproductive medicine—a science-based, ethical approach that seeks to identify and treat th...