about
ABOUT US // Our Mission
At His feet... in her voice.
The Better Part is an interdisciplinary, intellectual journal committed to the advancement of Catholic thought as engaged and articulated by women. Drawing upon the riches of the Catholic Intellectual Tradition and oriented to the resurgence of feminine scholarship, The Better Part seeks to shine a light on the ways in which Catholic women contribute to the Church and modern culture.
The Better Part aims to give voice to the distinct contributions of Catholic women–to illuminate the genius of woman in the intellectual, creative, practical, spiritual, and civic spheres. We affirm the truth that intellectual Catholic women in all walks of professional and vocational life advance the life of the Church and effect positive change in the modern culture as they wrestle with “what it means to be a woman in our time” (Letter of St. John Paul II to Women).
Inspired by Mary of Bethany, who sat at the feet of Christ in quiet contemplation, The Better Part invites all who read to contemplate the intersection of faith, reason, and all truth…as understood and expressed by faithful, intellectual, Catholic women.
At His feet…in her voice.
Heidi Bollich-Erne
FOUNDING EDITOR/EDITOR IN CHIEF
Heidi Bollich-Erne has been teaching Theology and Philosophy for more than 14 years, but her love of truth emerged much earlier than her teaching years. As a native of Louisiana, her earliest memories include sitting on the swing on the back porch drinking “coffee milk” with mom, dad, and sisters on Saturday mornings. Those leisurely mornings were defined by lengthy, philosophical conversations with dad (long after everyone else had lost interest, of course).
Dad would wonder, “Does prayer make cellular changes in the person who has been prayed for? Could it, you think?” Or, “What actually happened at the Resurrection? There had to have been some sort of change in Jesus’ body and physical dimensions…I wonder what it could have been!” Those musings stayed with that seven-year old girl for the rest of her life and started a journey deeper and deeper into the search for truth, the role of faith and reason in one’s life, and the meaning of human existence. That little girl has always wanted to learn everything thanks to her dad.
Heidi earned an undergraduate in Theology from the University of St. Thomas in Houston, Texas and a Masters of Arts in Philosophy from the Center for Thomistic Studies, where she had the opportunity to work with Philosophers/Theologians such as Dr. John Hittinger, Dr. Randall Smith, and Dr. John F.X. Knasas, who directed the writing of her masters thesis “The Meaning of Human Suffering.”
Heidi has been married to John, a scientist and business owner, for more than 10 years. Together they created a most-precocious and adventurous John Paul, who is also a lover of all truth. Their evenings are often filled with board games, cooking, books, and arguing about how to apply scientific realities to philosophical truths. Heidi is the founder and owner of JGB Publishings and is currently teaching high school Thomistic philosophy classes, where she encourages her students to wonder about the intersection of all truth and to engage with life in a meaningful way.
Rebecca Teti
Rebecca Teti has been married to Dennis for more than thirty years and has four adult children. She is the executive director of the Ciocca Center for Principled Entrepreneurship at Catholic University of America’s Busch School of Business. Prior to that, she helped co-found Our Lady of Bethesda Retreat Center in Bethesda, MD and for many years directed programs for women and family there.
A writer and editor by training, she was a featured blogger at the old FaithandFamilyLive! website, a columnist for Catholic News Agency and Faith and Family magazine, and has spoken and published widely on the intersection of faith and culture, including at National Catholic Register, Human Life Review, Aleteia and Catholic Vote.
EDITOR
She was a contributing editor for the forthcoming Guardians of Inquiry by Glenn Ellmers; The Soul of Politics by Glenn Ellmers; Wanting by Luke Burgis; and The Memoirs of St. Peter by Michael Pakaluk, among other works.
Heather Foucault-Camm
EDITOR
Heather Foucault-Camm has been working as an outside contractor for the Science and Religion Initiative for 5 years where she has made academic contributions by both giving talks and assisting with the editing and construction of lesson plans. Prior to beginning her work as Program Director for the Science and Religion Initiative at the McGrath Institute for Church Life, Heather was a classroom teacher for 15 years, with subject-specific experience in chemistry, physics, and bioethics. She has taught in Canada (at the University of Ottawa), the United Kingdom, and in the United States.
Heather is mother to Penelope (7 years of age) and Edward (4 years of age), who are both looking forward to beginning at St. Joseph Elementary School in the fall. Her husband of 10 years, Kenneth, is a chemical engineer with directorial responsibilities within a multinational sustainable technologies company.
In her spare time, Heather enjoys playing ice hockey, practicing martial arts (she is a black belt), and running. Her hobbies include cooking and reading. Heather has traveled in Europe and is hopeful to travel within the United States once her family gets situated. Her favorite holiday was to Turkey - where she thoroughly enjoyed the local cuisine and the experience of snorkeling for the first time! This summer, Heather is especially looking forward to being sworn in as an American citizen!
Heather has degrees in chemistry (BSc, MSc in Physical Chemistry - University of Ottawa, Canada), a PGCE in Science Education (University of Leeds, UK) and an M.A. in Theology from the University of Notre Dame.
Tamara Smith
EDITOR
Tamara Nicholl-Smith’s poetry has appeared in multiple publications, including America magazine, the Kyoto Journal, Ekstasis, Catholic Arts Today, and The Examined Life Journal. She also has poetry in two Mutabilis Press anthologies: Enchantment of the Ordinary and Chaos, Dive, Reunion.
A former slam poet, Tamara was the first woman ever to win Albuquerque’s city poetry slam championship. She served on two Albuquerque slam teams before returning to her Houston hometown to coach Houston’s 2002 slam team all the way to the national semi-finals.
She enjoys giving public readings and performances, whether to an auditorium of 2,000 people or an intimate coffee house with ten. She was honored to be one of the finalists for the 2025–2027 Houston Poet Laureate.
Tamara has worked professionally in the fields of economic development, consulting, and software development. She has also been trained in various leadership development and personal transformation coaching techniques. She enjoys pairing these with her creative side.
Tamara has had her poems on two Albuquerque bus panels and a parking meter, the latter as part of a civic art program she founded to put art and poetry on city parking meters. Its title: “The Rhyme and Meter Project.”
She recently completed an MFA in Creative Writing at the University of Saint Thomas in Houston. She enjoys puns and likes her bourbon neat
https://tamaranichollsmith.com/
Theological Consultants
Fr. Clinton Sensat,
STL
Pastor of Our Lady of Lourdes Catholic Church
Diocese of Lafayette, Louisiana
Very Rev. Norbert Maduzia Jr.,
E.V., D. Min
Pastor of St. Ignatius of Loyola Catholic Church
Episcopal Vicar-Northern Vicariate
Archdiocese of Galveston/Houston, Texas