Holy Ambition: Thriving as a Catholic Woman at Work and at Home is a practical and inspiring guide for Catholic women who want to integrate their faith into every part of their professional and personal lives. Whether you are an entrepreneur, business professional, nonprofit leader, or student, this book will help you navigate work and home with Christ at the center, remembering that our highest calling is to become saints.
Drawing on insights from Catholic Women in Business—an online community of more than five thousand Catholic professional women—authors Taryn DeLong and Elise Crawford Gallagher explore what it means to live out your vocation as an ambitious Catholic woman. Each chapter includes reflections, saintly examples, and wisdom from courageous women past and present who model how to thrive with purpose, faith, and grace.
The authors address some of the most common and heartfelt questions faced by women balancing work, faith, and family, including:
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Am I discerning God’s will for my life correctly? Learn from St. Teresa of Calcutta, who persevered even when she couldn’t hear God’s voice.
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Is it okay to be ambitious and build wealth? Be inspired by St. Jane Frances de Chantal, who used her ambition and resources for good.
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How can I live my faith in a secular environment? Follow the example of St. Gianna Molla, who practiced medicine with unwavering fidelity to her faith.
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How can I cultivate good relationships and love difficult people? Look to St. Thérèse of Lisieux, who loved others through her “little way.”
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How can I succeed at work while being open to new life? See how St. Zélie Martin found balance between her vocation as a mother and her business.
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How can I make a difference as a Catholic entrepreneur? Learn from Catherine de Hueck Doherty, who used her work to fight injustice and serve the poor.
Each chapter concludes with questions for reflection and group discussion, making Holy Ambition ideal for small groups, women’s ministries, or book clubs. As St. John Paul II wrote, “Women imbued with the spirit of the Gospel can do so much to aid humanity in not falling.” This book invites every woman to discover her God-given gifts and use them to transform her workplace, home, and community for the better.
About the Authors
Taryn DeLong is the copresident and editor-in-chief of Catholic Women in Business. She is a freelance writer and editor whose work has appeared in Public Discourse, Radiant Magazine, FemCatholic, CatholicMom.com, and Well-Read Mom. She also cohosts the Catholic Women Lead podcast. DeLong earned a bachelor’s degree in psychology from Meredith College and lives in North Carolina with her family.
Elise Crawford Gallagher is the copresident and founder of Catholic Women in Business and the chief operations officer at JC Law, a regional law firm based in Baltimore, Maryland. She earned a master’s degree in communications from Johns Hopkins University and is a 2020 graduate of Goldman Sachs’ 10,000 Small Businesses program. Gallagher previously founded RINGLET, a marketing agency serving women-owned businesses. She lives with her family in the Washington, D.C.–Baltimore area.
Michelle Hillaert serves as the executive director of the GIVEN Institute.
