Diapers, Deadlines, and Discernment: Embracing Ambition as a Catholic Mom

Early in my career, the idea of being a working woman was exciting—I chased promotion after promotion, jumped at new job opportunities, and enjoyed working for entrepreneurial companies. I was driven, ambitious, and constantly seeking the next step in my career.

When my first daughter was born, I admired the working moms who could “bring home the bacon" and then fry it up in the pan when they got home. Seeing their ability to juggle career and family, inspired me. I rose to the occasion and modeled my life after the typical working mom.

But during this time, I experienced what I can only describe as a reversion to my faith. I started diving into my Catholic faith like never before - reading book after book, adding prayer to my daily routine, attending daily Mass, participating in retreats, and receiving guidance in spiritual direction. As I became more deeply rooted in my Catholic faith, I also became open to life—and had three more children.

But as a working mom who began to fully embrace my Catholic faith, I started feeling a deep tension. On one side, there was the traditional Catholic mom who stayed home, had time to coordinate playdates and prepare meals for their families. On the other side, there was me—the working mom dropping my kids off at daycare, balancing intense deadlines and long work weeks.

As a young mom, it seemed there weren't any role models of Catholic moms in business. As I looked around, I began to wonder: Is it moral for me to work and be a mom? And am I putting my ambition over my vocation? This doubt weighed heavily on my heart and created great angst for me. 

For many years, I worked because I needed to help contribute to my family financially. But even once my husband and I felt we could let go of my income, the desire to work didn’t go away.

But this time, it wasn’t about money—it was about calling. I felt drawn to create, to build, to do meaningful work in the world.

But was that okay? Could I embrace both my ambition and my vocation as a wife and mother? For a long time, I wrestled with this question. In the midst of much prayer and many hours in adoration, I found clarity. 

I realized I had to stop comparing myself to other Catholic moms. I had to stop trying to fit into a mold that God did not create me for. After all, God has created us all uniquely. 

The Church does not impose a one-size-fits-all model of motherhood. Rather, we are called to discern how best to serve our families and the world using the gifts God has given us.

Once I understood this, I felt free. Free to embrace the gifts God had given me. Free to pursue meaningful work. Free to step into Catholic entrepreneurship as a way to answer God's call and serve my family at the same time.

This is why the book, Holy Ambition resonates so deeply with me.

It’s a book for women like us—women who feel called to work, create, lead, and serve, all while being faithful to our vocations.

Whether you’re working because your family needs it financially, or because you feel called to contribute something to the world through your work, you are not alone. You do not have to choose between ambition and faithfulness. God calls us to bring Him into every aspect of our lives—including our work.

I truly believe we are in a new era for Catholic women. Thanks to the work of Catholic Women in Business and the resources available to us today, more and more Catholic moms are finding ways to embrace both their faith and their work. Holy Ambition is an incredible resource for women looking to navigate this journey in an authentically Catholic way.

So if you’ve ever felt the tension that I did, wondering if it’s okay to work while being a faithful Catholic mom, this book is for you. Let’s stop seeing faith and ambition as opposing forces. Instead, let’s embrace them both—trusting that when we seek first the Kingdom, everything else falls into place.

You can grab your copy of Holy Ambition now through Catholic Women in Business.

Let’s step boldly into the work God has called us to do—with faith, purpose, and, of course, a little bit of holy ambition