Evelyn, Veronica, and Cade compare the wildly different messages men and women receive in Catholic spaces—porn-and-purity men’s talks vs. dignity-and-modesty women’s talks—then track how those scripts shape deconstruction, dating, and identity. From Theo-bro debate culture to confession-as-streaks, “feminine genius” to closeting strategies, we unpack power, fear, and why over-intellectualizing feelings keeps people stuck—and how to get free.
00:00 Small Group02:05 Gendered Experiences in Catholicism05:47 Men's Emotional Expression and Social Dynamics13:26 Purity Culture and Confession26:12 Social Hierarchies and Virtue in Catholic Circles38:36 Catholic Ideals and Sexuality49:43 Experiences of Queer Women in the Church59:01 Challenges of Dating in Catholic Culture01:01:05 Over-Intellectualizing Catholic Teachings01:07:08 Autism and Hyperfixations in Religious Contexts
We sit down with Cherie - aka “The Canceled Christian” - to unpack life inside high-control evangelical spaces: homeschooling, purity culture, and rules at Pensacola Christian College, plus the cracks that formed during 2020 and after Dobbs. Cherie shares how she and her husband deconstructed together, why empathy (not outrage) moved her most, and practical advice for taking it slow, finding a “deconstruction buddy,” and keeping whatever spirituality still fits.
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00:00 Small Group: Rose and Thorn
02:17 Cherie's Background and Deconstruction Journey
04:23 Navigating Marriage and Deconstruction
06:12 College Experiences and Questioning Beliefs
15:25 Working at Starbucks and Meeting Non-Christians
25:18 Starting on Social Media and Shiny Happy People
28:23 Understanding Cult Dynamics
33:43 Navigating Political and Religious Tensions
36:45 Personal Deconstruction Journeys
43:49 Advice for Those Deconstructing
We unpack the parts of Catholicism we still love and live by: the dignity of every person, preferential option for the poor, workers’ rights, solidarity, and care for creation. We get honest about where politics eclipsed the Gospel, why those same values led us out, and how community, ritual, silence, and values-based living still shape our daily lives—queer-affirming, neighbor-minded, and deeply human.
00:00 Small Group: Rose and Thorn
02:02 Positive Influences from Catholic Upbringing
04:12 The Value of Human Dignity
07:02 Reflections on Relationships and Complementarity
11:01 Building Community and Self-Sacrifice
13:07 Catholic Social Teaching: Core Values
19:04 Solidarity and Care for God's Creation
25:12 Community, Rituals, and Traditions
27:39 Navigating Spirituality Beyond Catholicism
36:37 The Importance of Silence and No Phone Time
43:24 Values-Based Living and Personal Growth
Franciscan University has launched a $10 million “Homeland Mission” in Washington DC — partnering with groups like the Heritage Foundation and the Museum of the Bible. In this episode, Evelyn and Veronica unpack how the project connects to a broader movement of Christian nationalism, the donors behind it, and what it signals about the growing Catholic presence in U.S. politics. From prayer breakfasts to policy influence, this conversation explores faith, money, and power in America’s capital.
00:00 Small Group: Rose and Thorn
03:22 Franciscan University's Homeland Mission Details
07:36 Donor Contributions and Impact
10:21 Event Highlights and Alumni Involvement
14:14 Philanthropy and Broader Contributions
17:28 Residential Facilities for Students in DC
19:57 Project 2025 and Trump's Influence
21:15 Catholicism and Conservative Politics
25:41 Immigration and Long-term Political Strategies
30:36 Concerns About Right-Wing Catholic Politics
Join us as we unpack Life Teen’s State of Catholic Youth in America (2024) — breaking down “the five cries of youth,” the XLT/adoration model, summer camps, Steubenville ties, and the report’s framing of anxiety, gender dysphoria, politics, and phones. This episode is for devout parents, deconstructors, and anyone curious about how Catholic youth culture really works.
Read along with us as we discuss LifeTeen's "2024 Report on The State of Catholic Youth in America."
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Veronica walks us through Chiles v. Salazar—the Supreme Court challenge to Colorado’s conversion-therapy ban. We unpack what the law actually prohibits (licensed claims to change orientation or gender identity), what it explicitly allows (client-led support and identity exploration), why “professional conduct” is regulate-able, and how amicus briefs—from Catholic orgs to ex-Exodus leaders — frame the stakes for LGBTQ+ youth, families, and faith communities.
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Happy feast day to both of our confirmation Saints! Today we dive into the life of St. Francis & the legacy he left behind
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Join us for our thoughts on Chapters 1 & 2 of the YOUCAT
Thank you so much for being here! Follow us @leavelaughlovepod on Instagram and TikTok and join our Patreon community to stay up to date!
"The Great Controversy" by Ellen White showed up on Veronica's doorstep... and we have thoughts
Join us as we talk through the chaos of the week & all the tangents it brought us on
As Carlos Acutis and Pier Giorgio Frassati join the ranks of Catholic Saints, we discuss what all goes into the making of one
Join us as we reflect on the life & legacy of Dr. James Dobson
Shiny Happy People season one had a huge impact on our deconstruction... but season two feels even more relevant. Join us as we deep dive on the parallels to the Catholic conference world
Leave Laugh Love turned one! Join us as we reflect on all the things we learned in our first year of building this podcast
In this episode, we’re diving into Hallow— the Catholic meditation and prayer app. We talk about its features, the celebs involved, some of the controversy around monetizing prayer, and how it unexpectedly led us down a rabbit hole of QAnon, Catholic influencers, and Jim Caviezel.
Bill from the Morally Offensive podcast joins us to share his story of exiting the Church and the bizarre masculinity standards that pushed him over the edge
In this episode, we trace the rise of Fr. Mike Schmitz — from campus minister to internet sensation. Have a little crazy red string moment with us while we talk media strategy, charismatic conference culture, and how everything somehow comes back to teleology & vibes.
In this episode, we tackle the weird world of Catholic sex rules straight from church documents and encyclicals. From NFP to PIV, we break down the doctrine's wildest regulations
What do we mean when we talk about culty/fundie/high-control Catholicism? Join us as we break down the BITE model of authoritarian control & the mind games that can make certain Catholic communities more than a little bit culty
Kevin Nontradicath joins us to talk about growing up FSSP, young earth creationism, teleology, eucharistic miracles, and how researching the faith led him out of it.
Thank you so much for being here! Follow us @leavelaughlovepod on Instagram and TikTok and join our Patreon community to stay up to date!