In this episode, Beth welcomes Catherine Rose, author of A Return to Beauty: Ancient Catholic Wisdom and Modern Fashion, to explore a question many Catholic women wrestle with: what does it mean to dress with true beauty and dignity in today’s culture?

Our world often equates beauty with trends, exposure, and instant gratification. But Catherine invites us to rediscover beauty as God intended it—not vanity, but virtue. She reminds us that what we wear is never neutral; our clothing choices can either obscure or reflect our identity as daughters of the King.

The Body as a Temple
As St. Paul writes in 1 Corinthians 6:19–20: “Do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit within you… So glorify God in your body.” The body is not an afterthought—it is the visible expression of the soul and a vessel for God’s glory.

Caring for it rightly through healthy discipline, modesty, and intentional choices is an act of stewardship. Just as fasting trains us to master our appetites and reorient our desires toward God, modest dress can re-train us to value dignity over trends and virtue over vanity.

Modesty as Cultural Witness
Catherine shares how clothing has shifted drastically in the past century, often leaving women “undressed” by cultural pressures that prize self-expression or objectification over dignity. She argues that modesty is not about hiding but about revealing the deeper beauty of the soul.

Choosing to dress modestly becomes a way of evangelizing—living counterculturally in a world that desperately needs examples of true freedom and authentic femininity.

Practical Tips for Modest Beauty
One of the most encouraging aspects of Catherine’s book is her practical approach. She offers concrete suggestions for:

• Assembling beautiful, modest outfits that reflect dignity and joy.

• Resisting cultural myths that modesty is “restrictive” or “legalistic.”

• Aligning outward beauty with inner life, so dress becomes an extension of virtue.

How It Connects to Fasting
Beth and Catherine highlight a surprising parallel: both fasting and modesty are disciplines of the body that reveal the state of the soul. Fasting resists the urge to overindulge; modesty resists the pull of cultural extremes in fashion. Both are practices of restraint that create space for God’s grace to flourish.

The Call to Return to Beauty
This episode is a reminder that holiness touches every part of our lives—even our closets. By choosing modesty, we not only honor God with our bodies but also provide a witness to the world that beauty and dignity belong together.

If you’ve ever wondered how clothing impacts your spiritual life, or how to reclaim beauty in a way that uplifts both body and soul, this conversation will inspire and challenge you.

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Resources from Today’s Show:

Get Catherine’s Book – A Return to Beauty on Amazon

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