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The Soulful Catholic

Stirring up faith, one soul at a time.

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Church of the Beatitudes in Israel

The Why

As a journalist for the Catholic press for more than 20 years,  the deep desire to continue penning words that pointed to Jesus has never diminished. In fact, it blossomed and gave birth to this blog! I attribute that zeal to the grace of God who in 2010 allowed me to meet and become adopted by the persecuted Christians of the Middle East. Their authentic witness to Christ in the midst of deep suffering reignited my faith and set me on a path that continues to unwind before me.

What follows are soulful meanderings into what it means to be a disciple of Christ living in a broken world redeemed by God.

Recent Articles

Sometimes we delve into current issues (what do you expect from a political science major?) but it’s always through a lens of faith. The Soulful Catholic likes to write about what God is doing in our lives today, right here and right now. Faith in Christ changes everything.

Our joy will attract others to faith in Christ. Outrage and vitriol? Not so much.

Our joy will attract others to faith in Christ. Outrage and vitriol? Not so much.

“Next week, don’t be the same person you were last week. Let’s start to live a more radical response to the gift of the best news ever … I beg you to respond by sharing the Gospel with confidence, by rejoicing in his love even when life is really hard.”— Chris Stefanick, National Eucharistic Congress, July 21

Of all the powerful statements that were uttered at the National Eucharistic Congress, this is the one that stays with me.

Many of us seem to have lost the sense that the Gospel is, in fact, good news. When faith becomes caught up in debate and politics and keeping score, the heart of the Gospel is lost. When we become cynics who are quick to complain, criticize and condemn, we forget to share the joy we should have from being a disciple of the Lord Jesus. We forget what Jesus told us: “I did not come to condemn the world but to save the world (John 12:47).”

Gift of joy transforms an otherwise painful moment into encounter with Christ

Gift of joy transforms an otherwise painful moment into encounter with Christ

“Consequently, an evangelizer must never look like someone who has just come back from a funeral!” Evangelii Gaudium #10

That has to be one of my favorite quotes from The Joy of the Gospel, the 2013 Apostolic Exhortation penned by Pope Francis. And it reminds me of Marlin, a radiology tech I’ve come to know over the last 20 years.
I’m not making this up.

Sharing the love of God with basketball fans: You’re being recruited for an unbeatable team

Sharing the love of God with basketball fans: You’re being recruited for an unbeatable team

The Christmas lights have barely been packed away but the countdown to Lent has begun (Ash Wednesday is an unusually early Feb. 14 this year.) Which can only mean one thing: You’ll need to come up with your Lenten plan stat AND March Madness is right around the corner.

Now, why would The Soulful Catholic give a lick about the National Collegiate Athletic Association annual basketball tournament? And what, pray tell, does this have to do with Lent anyway?

Flowers on the shore of the Sea of Galilee

Meet Joyce

The Soulful Catholic

Wife. Mom. Regular, everyday person. God allowed me to write for The Catholic Sun for nearly two decades (not the Rosary kind, but more on that later!) I’m also a catechist and the editor of a community newspaper.

A conversion experience in 2010 changed my life forever and led to the writing of two novels about the plight of persecuted Christians. A third book, Daily Inspiration, rounds out my current titles.

I’ll speak to any group of one or more about God’s great mercy and how He intervened in my life in a miraculous way. Sometimes that means a parish mission or retreat but it might just be over tea.

Joyce in the Holy Land
Pictures taken on Joyce’s 2012 trip to the Holy Land.

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