A belated congratulations to Jody Pitcher and Marnee Weisbrod, pictured above, both of Holy Family Parish in Grand Blanc, who are the winners of this year's Catholic Media Association Book Award Gold Award for their book, Conversations for the Modern Catholic Woman: Collected Reflections on Catholic Womanhood.
Marnee and Jody are both mental health therapists. Their award-winning book explores modern womanhood through a Catholic lens. It features contributions from nearly two dozen women from across the country on a range of issues, including femininity, dating, marriage, motherhood, vocational discernment, friendships, trauma healing, self-care, and healthy living.
Marnee tells their story:
“Receiving first place in the Catholic Media Association awards for our book genre was very validating and encouraging. My idea for this book came from years of talking to and working with Catholic women across life circumstances, and deep reflection on my own Catholic womanhood. I felt a prompt to create real-world, relatable examples of how women can and do navigate the complexities of faith and the challenges of life.”
“I have found it incredibly supportive and insightful to share the things I've experienced in my womanhood with other strong and like-minded women. I know that we, as women, need this sisterhood as much as ever—or perhaps, in some ways, more than ever—to have the strength to continue well.”
“The result of publishing our book a little over a year ago has slowly opened up opportunities for Jody and me to connect with local groups and initiatives, sharing our therapeutically oriented insights in an effort to help others find clarity and freedom in their lives.”
“I don't yet know what fruits may come from this new award, but after all of the hard work I put into creating this book and self-publishing over the course of a year—while dealing with various personal challenges along the way—it feels so validating to earn this award from a Catholic organization. I hope it means that God has continued plans for this work to reach others.”
“As the title of the book suggests, I find great value in these honest conversations among women. We learn so much from each other, and there's always more to learn. I think when women come together with the intention of being in the presence of God and exploring questions of life, very powerful and amazing things can happen. And I'm always honored to be part of these conversations in whatever capacity: as a friend, as a counselor, or now as an author.”
Meanwhile, Jody writes:
“Conversations for the Modern Catholic Woman invites women into the kind of sharing our hearts were made for—honest, vulnerable, faith-rooted conversations that help us feel seen, grounded, and connected. As women, we carry stories, wounds, hopes, and questions that often stay unspoken, yet we come alive when we share them in safe, meaningful spaces. This book gives language to those deeper places and offers a framework for reflection, healing, and growth through a Catholic lens. It’s written for women who long for authentic sisterhood, for those navigating relationships and identity, for mothers and young adults seeking clarity, for ministry leaders accompanying others, and for anyone desiring emotional maturity anchored in Christ. Ultimately, it helps women share their hearts with God, with one another, and with themselves in a way that leads to freedom and communion.”
* For more information about the work of Marnee and Jody, as well as details about their book, visit pursuitofbeautymedia.com
